As the 2026 World Cup opening games delivered a flurry of goals and standout performances from football’s biggest names, Cristiano Ronaldo’s start to the tournament has been marked by “notable disappointment.” While Kylian Mbappe netted twice for France against Senegal, Erling Haaland bagged a brace in Norway’s victory over Iraq, and Lionel Messi secured a hat trick against Algeria to become the joint top scorer in World Cup history alongside Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo’s Portugal struggled to a 1-1 draw against Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Following Portugal’s underwhelming start, legendary striker Thierry Henry, now an analyst for Fox’s 2026 World Cup coverage, offered a pointed critique of Ronaldo’s individualistic approach, suggesting it is actively hindering the team’s potential.

Ronaldo’s isolated display against Democratic Republic of the Congo

During the match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ronaldo “cut an isolated figure,” spending much of his time “languishing in the penalty area.” Despite Portugal dominating possession with a 75%-25% advantage, they surprisingly registered fewer attempts on goal than their opponents. Henry highlighted a critical moment where Ronaldo’s desire to score for himself inadvertently undermined a prime opportunity for a teammate.

According to Henry, Ronaldo’s “most meaningful contribution was taking chances away from his teammates and firing them wide of the goal.” He specifically pointed to an instance in the second half involving Bruno Fernandes. “Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes. If he goes into the six-yard box, you’ve been in that situation Alexi, you would have had to follow him. Then it would have been a tap-in for Bruno Fernandes. But because he wants to score, he goes in the path of the backpass. You see both players and it’s easier for you to defend. And that’s my thing, the team needs to score, not you,” Henry explained during the Fox post-match show.

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Henry’s tactical breakdown and stark warning

Henry’s analysis underscored a broader concern about Ronaldo’s role within a squad widely considered one of the deepest and most talented in the tournament, and a top favorite for the World Cup title. The former Arsenal and France star believes Ronaldo’s relentless pursuit of personal glory is overshadowing the collective objective. “The team needs to score, not you need to score,” Henry stated, a quote reported by Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) on X.

Ronaldo’s recent World Cup record adds weight to Henry’s concerns, with the forward having scored just one goal in his last seven World Cup appearances. While Portugal’s squad boasts immense quality across the pitch, their opening performance and Ronaldo’s individual struggles present an early challenge for a team with high aspirations in the tournament.

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