“The team needs to score, not you”: Thierry Henry slams Cristiano Ronaldo’s selfishness after Portugal draw

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal didn’t start the 2026 World Cup as they had hoped, stumbling to a 1-1 draw against a DR Congo side ending a 52-year World Cup absence.

Cristiano has been harshly criticized for his selfishness during the match. France legend and 1998 World Cup winner Thierry Henry didn’t hold back during Fox’s post-match coverage, dedicating a segment of the program to CR7 that started with a direct message: “One thing that’s important, people, please at home: the team needs to score, not you need to score.”

Afterwards, he blamed Ronaldo for not making the runs that would leave his teammates in scoring positions, explaining: “Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes, the back pass, and it’s easier to defend.”

Bruno Fernandes’ on-pitch reaction was far from happy, and Henry concluded by mimicking what he believes the midfielder was thinking: “Let it roll. Make a run and create space so I can tap it in.” Henry certainly speaks from experience—a resume boasting a World Cup, a Champions League title, a European Championship, two Premier Leagues, two La Ligas, and a couple of Golden Boots completely backs him up.

Zero shots on target by Cristiano

Cristiano Ronaldo had a frustrating opener against DR Congo, playing the entire 90 minutes without managing a single shot on target. While he led the line, his three total attempts sailed off-target under tight Congolese marking.

Additionally, his final-third impact was uncharacteristically quiet; he only attempted seven passes in the attacking zone. Out of 21 total passes attempted during the game—completing 19—he struggled to generate any threatening, creative opportunities to break the deadlock for Portugal. He did win two aerial duels, providing a minor positive stat on a difficult night in Houston.

What’s next for Portugal?

Portugal’s World Cup group and schedule

Portugal is in Group K at the 2026 World Cup, with DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia. Here are the next two match times:

• Portugal vs Uzbekistan: June 23, 1 p.m. ET
• Colombia vs Portugal: June 27, 7:30 p.m. ET

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