Cristiano Ronaldo's Family Defends Him After Portugal's Draw with DR Congo in World Cup Opener
Following Portugal's 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo's sisters defended him amid criticism of his performance, while football legends expressed concern over his impact on the team's dynamics.
Cristiano Ronaldo's family has come to his defense after Portugal's disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. The legendary forward faced significant criticism for his performance in Houston, leading his sisters to take to social media to shift the blame away from him.
In the match against DR Congo, Ronaldo recorded only 25 touches, marking the lowest total he has ever achieved in a full major tournament match. Additionally, the result extended his scoreless streak to ten consecutive appearances in World Cup and European Championship tournaments. Despite the harsh criticism directed at the Al-Nassr striker, his sister Elma Aveiro defended him on Instagram, labeling the outcome as unfair to Portugal and highlighting the intense pressure players face on the pitch, according to RMC.
Elma shared a photo of her brother, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, and commented, "I believe that beginnings are difficult, but endings are good. You are the ones on the field. It’s easy to talk. And besides, having victory stolen in this way, it’s not easy."
Katia Aveiro, another of Ronaldo's sisters, also took to social media to defend him, but her critique was more focused on the overall tactical issues within the team. She expressed concern over the squad's apparent loss of rhythm during the match, suggesting a lack of cohesion among players rather than solely faulting Ronaldo for the draw.
As reported by Portuguese outlet Record, Katia remarked, "As if by magic, they forgot how to pass to each other, recover balls, launch counter-attacks. The game took place from the midfield to the back. Strange, this World Cup. Strange. But let's go. Bad starts, great endings. Until the end."
Despite support from his family, footballing legends have been more critical of Ronaldo's performance. Thierry Henry, a former Arsenal star, was particularly vocal about the 41-year-old's impact on the team's dynamics. Speaking on Fox Sports, Henry argued that Ronaldo's desperate desire to score was actually detrimental to Portugal's offensive flow.
Henry expressed his views bluntly, stating, "Because he absolutely wants to score, he gets in the way of Bruno Fernandes. It’s the team that needs to score, not you." This perspective resonated across social media, where fans and analysts questioned whether the national team is becoming overly reliant on a player who has now gone ten major tournament matches without finding the net.
Following the disappointing draw, Portugal will aim to recover in their next match against Uzbekistan on June 23, before wrapping up their Group K campaign with a crucial encounter against Colombia.
The statistics surrounding Ronaldo are concerning for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star. His last goal in a major international tournament dates back to the opening match of the 2022 World Cup against Ghana, after which he failed to score in the remainder of that tournament and during the subsequent European Championship in 2024.
