WORRYING STATISTICS
Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes against the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, according to Opta, he only had 25 touches, his lowest number in a major match (World Cup or EURO) where he played the full time. More notably, the touch map shows that most of Ronaldo's activity took place around the opponent's penalty area. He was almost completely isolated from Portugal's build-up play, rarely participating in link-ups and seldom dropping deep to connect with his teammates.
It must be admitted that Ronaldo's most glorious years are behind him.
PHOTO: REUTERS
This partly reflects Portugal's inefficiency. Coach Martinez's team controlled the ball for 75.4%, had a 92% passing accuracy, and completed 783 successful passes. However, they only managed 7 shots, fewer than even the Democratic Republic of Congo (8 shots). According to Opta, this is the highest ball possession rate in World Cup history for a team with fewer shots than their opponent since data began being recorded in 1966. Another statistic is even more worrying: Portugal only had 7 shots, matching their lowest number of shots in World Cup history. The last time this happened was against South Korea in 2002.
Those statistics highlight the paradox: Portugal had a lot of possession but failed to create any real pressure. And Ronaldo, the player expected to finish off chances, was almost invisible in the game. Worse still, the Portuguese superstar has now gone 10 consecutive World Cup and EURO matches without scoring. In this streak, Ronaldo has taken 33 shots, 11 of which were on target, but still hasn't found the back of the net. For a striker once considered the greatest goal-scoring machine in history, that's a very difficult number to accept.
K HI R ONALDO IS CRITICIZED
While Opta's statistics may have led fans to question Ronaldo's performance, Thierry Henry's comments have taken the debate to another level. After the match, the French legend publicly criticized Ronaldo on Fox Sports' commentary. The former Arsenal player emphasized: "It's important that the team scores, not that he scores." Henry also provided a specific example. In the second half, when Conceicao broke into the penalty area, Ronaldo should have moved to the far post to create space for Bruno Fernandes to finish. But instead, CR7 stayed in his position and tried to control the ball for himself.
Henry analyzed: "When he wants to score at all costs, he inadvertently blocks Bruno's movement, making it easier for the opponent to defend." The message from the 1998 World Cup champion is clear: Ronaldo is prioritizing personal goals over the collective good. That assessment might be harsh, but it's hard to refute when looking at how Portugal currently operates. The team possesses Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto, Joao Neves, and Vitinha, players with a high potential for creating breakthroughs. However, every pass ultimately still goes to Ronaldo. Meanwhile, age means CR7 is no longer able to move constantly, apply high-pressure tactics, or stretch the defense as he once did.
Ronaldo remains the greatest icon of Portuguese football. But if he continues to play like this, he could become a burden to the entire team in their quest to win the 2026 World Cup.