After Portugal's shock draw in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener, French legend Thierry Henry has come down heavily on Cristiano Ronaldo. Henry claims Ronaldo is playing for his personal records, not for the team, and his 'selfish' attitude is actually holding back the younger players.
Houston: Portugal's unexpected draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their World Cup opener has kicked up a storm. And now, French football legend Thierry Henry has laid into Cristiano Ronaldo, criticising him heavily.
Henry didn't hold back, saying that Ronaldo was more focused on his own records than on playing for the team. He believes this cost Portugal dearly in the match.
Here's how Thierry Henry broke down Ronaldo's performance: "Nobody is denying that Ronaldo is a phenomenal talent. But even at this stage of his career, he seems to care more about his personal records than the team's victory. There were clear chances where he could have passed the ball to others, but he chose to take the shot himself. This kind of selfishness is the last thing a team needs in a World Cup," Henry said.
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Holding back young talent
Henry also pointed out that Ronaldo's presence on the field is becoming a problem for Portugal's young forwards like Rafael Leão and João Félix. He feels their natural game is being affected because everyone on the team feels pressured to pass the ball only to Ronaldo. This is messing with the team's natural flow.
Henry added that coach Roberto Martínez needs to get tough and make some hard decisions for the upcoming games. He stressed that the team's interest must always come before any individual player.
Ronaldo, who is playing in his sixth World Cup, was clearly frustrated after failing to score in the first match. And now, this sharp criticism from a top football personality is only going to add to his troubles.
