'Not the player he was': Ronaldo criticism explodes after World Cup match

Cristiano Ronaldo is once again at the centre of online debate after Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their 2026 FIFA World Cup clash in Houston.

The Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo, failed to register a shot on target during the match, with fans quickly pointing out that he has now gone five consecutive World Cup games without scoring.

Portugal had started brightly, taking the lead early through João Neves in the sixth minute. But despite dominating spells of possession, they were unable to extend their advantage and were eventually punished by DR Congo’s equaliser.

As the final whistle blew, social media lit up — and not in Ronaldo’s favour. “I don’t know if people are surprised by Cristiano Ronaldo’s struggle so far, but it is absolutely nothing new,” one fan wrote online.

Another added more bluntly: “Ronaldo should know when to give up. He is no longer the player he once was and Portugal need to move forward.”

Former France striker Thierry Henry also weighed in during analysis of a key second-half moment, criticising Ronaldo’s positioning during a Portugal attack.

Henry pointed to a move where Ronaldo drifted into the path of teammate Bruno Fernandes, making the attack easier to defend.

“Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes,” Henry said. “It’s easier to defend. The team needs to score, not you.”

Despite the criticism, Portugal manager Roberto Martínez defended his captain, saying leaving him out would make no sense given his experience and goal record.

“It makes no sense to get the best goal scorer in world football out in a game that you need goals,” Martínez said after the match.

Ronaldo remains Portugal’s all-time leading scorer with 143 international goals and has now become only the second player in history to feature at six FIFA World Cups, alongside Lionel Messi.

But online, the conversation is shifting — and the question fans are asking is no longer about what Ronaldo has done… but what comes next.