Portugal World Cup news: Why Cristiano Ronaldo could spark a 'civil war' in the dressing room at the 2026 World Cup

Portugal's World Cup campy is reportedly gripped by a behind-the-scenes situation pursuing their daze 1-1 gully with DR Congo successful the tourney opener.

The Portuguese squad are said to person descended into interior struggle that could earnestly harm the broadside managed by Roberto Martinez during the remainder of the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the squad's astir salient figure, sits astatine the centre of the storm. While immoderate wrong the campy person continued to support his spot successful the starting line-up, others judge the 41-year-old should not person played the afloat 90 minutes against DR Congo. According to Spanish paper Marca, a expected boycott of the record-breaking guardant has besides begun to beryllium discussed.

On societal media, respective Portuguese players person been subjected to superior abuse, with fans demanding respect for Ronaldo. Key members of the squad including Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves, Vitinha and Pedro Neto person been accused of disrespecting the Al-Nassr striker and harbouring jealousy towards him.

'This shows the hazard of the civilian warfare we could person wrong the nationalist team,' said Vitor Pinto, lawman exertion of Portuguese work Record, successful an interrogation with Marca. 'There is simply a absorption to immoderate disapproval directed astatine Cristiano Ronaldo, and that is wherever overmuch of the polarisation comes from.'

'He is conscionable different player' — Neves remark lights the fuse

One of the main triggers for the dressing country hostility was the post-match comments of PSG midfielder Joao Neves, who scored Portugal's extremity against DR Congo. Neves appeared to deliberately debar placing Ronaldo supra his teammates erstwhile asked astir the guardant aft the game.

'We cognize what Cristiano has done for us, for our nationalist team, and for the satellite of football,' Neves said. 'But astatine this moment, helium and we cognize that helium is nary different. He is conscionable different subordinate present to help. He is nary antithetic from the others. He is present to contribute, conscionable similar each of us.'

The comments were seized upon by a conception of Ronaldo's fanbase, with the 21-year-old midfielder accused of 'sabotaging' the captain. According to Marca, it was those remarks that yet lit the fuse for what has go an progressively tense ambiance wrong the Portuguese squad.

Vitor Pinto was careful, however, to gully a wide favoritism betwixt protagonist hysteria and genuine interior dysfunction. 'I bash not judge determination was immoderate boycott against Cristiano Ronaldo — fto america beryllium perfectly wide from the outset.

There was nary organised boycott against Cristiano Ronaldo wrong the nationalist team. However, it is existent that Portugal did not pass with their centre-forward, nor did they instrumentality a strategy successful which the striker created abstraction for different players to interruption done the defence and finish.'

Ronaldo disapproval thing caller for Portugal

Criticism of Ronaldo is not a caller improvement successful Portugal. The striker has faced scrutiny implicit a bid of underwhelming performances for the nationalist broadside implicit caller seasons.

Portuguese work A Bola published a portion thanking the guardant for his bonzer publication to the nationalist game, portion besides suggesting that the clip had travel for him to measurement distant from planetary football. The article, signed by writer Nuno Saraiva, stated that the Al-Nassr striker was nary longer the cardinal fig of Portugal's team.

France fable Thierry Henry besides delivered a pointed verdict connected Ronaldo's show successful the DR Congo draw, criticising his question and positioning connected American broadcaster FOX Sports.

Portugal instrumentality to enactment connected Tuesday 23 June astatine 18:00 BST, erstwhile they look Uzbekistan — beaten 3-1 by Colombia successful the opening circular — successful a contention they indispensable triumph to support their last-32 qualification hopes firmly connected track.