look news india
Cristiano Ronaldo’s disappointing performance against DR Congo in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has now become a big talking point for the Portugal team. 41-year-old Ronaldo was seen completely losing his rhythm, after which the demand in the football world to drop him from the starting playing eleven in the upcoming matches has intensified. Now everyone’s eyes are on Portugal’s next match against Uzbekistan. ‘CR7’ flop show against Congo Ronaldo’s performance in the 1-1 draw match with Congo did not live up to the team’s expectations. If we look at the statistics, Ronaldo touched the ball only 25 times in this match, which was the least in the entire team. They had many golden opportunities to score goals, but they completely failed to capitalize on them. The disappointing performance has left experts wondering whether Ronaldo’s magic in his sixth World Cup is now on the wane. Will you get a chance against Uzbekistan? Just before the match, coach Roberto Martínez has maintained the mystery regarding the playing eleven. When reporters asked him whether Ronaldo would be part of the starting squad against Uzbekistan, he flatly refused to say anything. Martínez said, "I can’t announce the starting playing XI right now because I haven’t informed my players before." However, he also did not say that Ronaldo would be a part of the team, which has deepened the suspense. Martínez praised Ronaldo, but… the coach defended Ronaldo, calling him ‘an example as a captain’. Martínez said, "He is a role model for the team. He has set a great example of coming back and training. But it is challenging to minimize the disappointment of the team’s poor performance against DR Congo." The coach claimed that the Portugal team is more united than ever at the moment and is fully focused for the upcoming match. Pressure and expectations on the team Portugal’s performance against Congo was not up to their standard. Only three out of nine shots were on target, which shows the team’s weakness. Coach Martínez said that it is natural to have tension and noise in a big tournament like the World Cup, but his team is fully prepared for the next match. Now it will be really interesting to see whether the coach trusts Ronaldo against Uzbekistan or fields Portugal with a new strategy.