Ronaldo's Goal Drought Is Tearing Portugal Apart Before They Have Even Started

Portugal arrived at the World Cup as genuine title contenders. Three days before their crucial group game against Uzbekistan, they are instead fighting a civil war over a 41-year-old who has not scored at a major tournament in 10 games.

ronaldo" class="entity-link entity-link--player">Cristiano Ronaldo's record-equalling sixth and final World Cup has already produced fake quotes, family interventions and unprecedented post-match interviews. The contradiction at the heart of it is brutal: an undroppable player has become a liability.

The interview that sparked a civil war

It started with a sub-par performance from Ronaldo in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opener. Then a routine post-match interview from Joao Neves tipped the country into crisis.

The Paris St-Germain midfielder, who scored Portugal's only goal that night, was asked about Ronaldo's role in the squad. His answer was measured and, by any reasonable reading, complimentary.

"We know what Ronaldo has done for our national team, but at this moment I feel that for him, and for everyone, he's one of us. He's one more player trying to help, he's no different to the others. He's here to contribute like we all will."

A backlash few could have predicted

Ronaldo fans flooded the social media accounts of Neves, Bruno Fernandes and others, accusing them of disrespecting the captain. Even by the standards of a global superstar, the reaction felt extraordinary.

Anibal Pinto of the Record newspaper captured the mood, warning the situation "highlights the risk of a civil war that could emerge within the national team".

Neves is no stranger to difficult media moments. In March 2024, days after losing his mother, the then 19-year-old fronted up after Benfica's 5-0 humiliation by Porto. A reasonable answer about Ronaldo should have been the easiest assignment of his career.

When family and media take sides

The episode might have faded had Ronaldo's inner circle not joined in. Instead, they poured fuel on it.

• His partner, Georgina Rodriguez, reacted to a fake quote attributed to Neves' girlfriend, Madalena Aragao, before deleting her comment.
• His sisters, Katia and Elma Aveiro, shared posts suggesting there had been an attempt to freeze him out of the team.
• On CMTV, Portugal's most-watched channel in which Ronaldo is a shareholder, pundit and lawyer Luis Miguel Henrique cited a fake quote attributed to Zinedine Zidane in his defence.

The turmoil reaches Miami

The chaos inevitably reached Portugal's camp. "Are Portugal polarised between those who are with Cristiano and those who are not?" was raised repeatedly in news conferences.

Ruben Dias bristled at the suggestion. "This shouldn't even be a topic of discussion," he replied in a tense exchange.

Diogo Dalot went further the following day, hinting at outside forces. "We know there are a lot of people who Asked to name them, he refused: "If I had to do that, we'd never leave here. It's not my role."

The Messi comparison Portugal can't escape

Ronaldo has now gone 10 consecutive games at major tournaments without scoring, since a penalty against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup. Against DR Congo he had three shots, more than any other player, but failed to hit the target.

The numbers expose the gap between Ronaldo the brand and Ronaldo the player. And the comparison that usually flatters him no longer holds.

The killer line

Luis Aguilar, a pundit for SIC Noticias, framed the problem precisely.

"It's like there is one man who is far bigger than the collective good. Because the reality today is that, unlike the comparison that is often made with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo is not the best player in the Portugal team. Messi is still the best player in the Argentina team."

That is the dilemma in a single sentence. Argentina build around a player who remains their finest. Portugal build around gratitude.

The data backs it up

Despite his struggles against DR Congo, Ronaldo stayed on for the full 90 minutes. Under coach Roberto Martinez, he has been substituted off 13 times across 30 starts, but only once before the 60th minute, in a 5-0 win over Armenia in September 2025.

Luis Mateus, executive director of A Bola, was blunt about the cost. "He's not the solution and that alone makes him part of the problem," he said. "His goals used to make up for his lack of defensive contribution. Now he is no longer scoring and he is affecting the entire attack. He is on the pitch because of gratitude, not because of how he is playing."

A recent Zerozero poll found 63% of voting Portugal fans do not want him to start against Uzbekistan.

Why only a Ronaldo goal against Uzbekistan ends the noise

Portugal know a convincing win on Tuesday is the only thing that buys peace. Privately, they know it has to come with Ronaldo on the scoresheet.

Anything less keeps the cycle turning. Another goalless 90 minutes, another wave of fan fury at his team-mates, another round of family posts and another set of defensive press conferences.

What happens next

Martinez faces a selection decision dressed up as a referendum on Ronaldo's status. Drop the captain and he validates the "freeze him out" narrative. Keep him and he risks repeating the problem that produced the DR Congo frustration.

The kick-off against Uzbekistan is at 18:00 BST on Tuesday. A goal from the number seven silences everything for now. Anything else, and a squad good enough to win this tournament risks being held hostage by the legacy of one man for the rest of it.