NEW DELHI: Portugal were expected to begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing victory, but things did not go according to plan. Following the disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, several of Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal teammates found themselves at the receiving end of intense social media abuse, with some fans claiming the veteran forward was deliberately ignored during the match.The criticism gathered further momentum after Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, appeared to question Portugal’s approach in a cryptic social media post. “Magically, they forgot how to: pass the ball; win it back; launch counter-attacks. The game became all about passing backwards in midfield … strange World Cup. Very strange.”Portugal, one of the pre-tournament favourites, struggled to break down a DR Congo side ranked significantly below them in the FIFA standings. Ronaldo, who became the oldest outfield player to start a FIFA World Cup match at the age of 41, endured a quiet night and managed just 25 touches despite playing the full 90 minutes.The result sparked criticism of coach Roberto Martinez and several Portugal players, with some Ronaldo supporters accusing them of not involving their captain enough in attacking situations.Midfielders Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and winger Pedro Neto were among those whose social media accounts were flooded with hostile messages after the match. Neves, in particular, came under fire after saying Ronaldo should be viewed as “just another player” within the squad as Portugal chase World Cup glory.Portuguese media reports have even warned of a possible “civil war” in the dressing room if the abuse continues, while rejecting suggestions that teammates intentionally denied Ronaldo the ball.Ronaldo’s own performance also came under scrutiny. After seeing rivals such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland score in their opening World Cup matches, the Portugal captain failed to get on the scoresheet.Players including Vinícius Júnior, Christian Pulisic, Viktor Gyökeres and Harry Kane also found the net early in the tournament, making Ronaldo’s blank even more noticeable.The 41-year-old did, however, achieve a historic milestone by joining Messi as the only players to feature in six FIFA World Cups. But a day after Messi scored a hat-trick, Ronaldo missed opportunities to become the first player to score in six different World Cups, sending efforts wide in the 68th and 73rd minutes.Ronaldo did not speak to reporters after the match but later posted a message on X.“It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over,” he wrote. “Head up and focus on the next game.”Portugal coach Roberto Martinez defended his captain when asked whether he had considered substituting him.“It makes no sense to get the best world scorer to be out when you need goals,” Martínez said. “The experience of Cristiano in the box is important. The way that he attracts defenders is important.”DR Congo midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau, who is 20 years younger than Ronaldo, admitted his side had a clear strategy against the Portuguese icon.“We know that Ronaldo isn’t the same as before,” Mukau said. “So we know that he runs less, less efforts. So yeah, it was up to our defense to stop him, and they did a great job.”Wednesday’s match was the 229th international appearance of Ronaldo’s career, extending his record for the most caps by a male footballer. While he led Portugal to the European Championship title in 2016, his best World Cup finish remains the 2006 tournament, when Portugal reached the semifinals.
