'Scared to take him off' - Ronaldo struggles as fellow superstars sparkle

Cristiano Ronaldo found himself unable to follow the dazzling performances of football's other global superstars on Tuesday, as Portugal was held to a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the 2026 World Cup.

While Kylian Mbappé became France's all-time leading scorer with two goals, Erling Haaland marked his World Cup debut with a brace against Iraq, and Lionel Messi netted a hat-trick for Argentina, Ronaldo struggled to influence his match. His side took an early lead through João Neves, but Yoane Wissa equalized for DR Congo just before halftime. Despite Portugal dominating possession with 75%, they managed only seven attempts on goal, with only Neves' header on target.

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That's embarrassing from Martinez. It might work but are we all watching a different game? He's scared to take him off. He's not the manager. [Ronaldo] may end up scoring the winner but the game has passed him by today.

Commentators were critical of Portugal's inability to secure a win and, in particular, manager Roberto Martinez's decision to keep the veteran striker on the field for the entire match. Chris Sutton, a former Premier League player, described the decision as "embarrassing," suggesting the game had "passed him by" for the day. "He's scared to take him off," Sutton remarked on BBC Radio 5 Live, questioning the manager's judgment despite Ronaldo's potential to score.

Before the match, former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney had anticipated Ronaldo's competitive spirit, joking that he would be motivated by the other stars' early successes. Rooney noted that Ronaldo's mentality is driven by challenges and a desire to be the best, often pushing himself and Messi to achieve new heights. However, this particular match did not provide the stage for Ronaldo to demonstrate that level, leaving him and his team with a disappointing draw.

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That's how he's pushed himself and his mentality is that everything is a challenge for him. Over the years, him and Messi have pushed each other to get to these levels. He wants to be the best and that's not in a bad way. He'll want to go out there and score two or three tonight to show he's still at that level.