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Portugal's 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup continues to send shockwaves beyond the pitch. In the hours following the game, several national team players saw their Instagram accounts flooded with messages of support for Cristiano Ronaldo and criticism directed at their teammates' on-field conduct.
Among those most targeted are Bruno Fernandes, João Neves, Vitinha, and Pedro Neto, whose recent posts have accumulated thousands of comments related to the Portuguese captain. Many users accuse the players of not passing to Ronaldo frequently enough during the match, while others demand "more respect" for the 41-year-old forward.
"Pass the ball to Ronaldo," "Respect the greatest player in history," and "You'd be nothing without Ronaldo" are some of the recurring messages found in the comment sections of the Portuguese internationals.
The overwhelming majority of the more aggressive messages are written in English, not Portuguese, suggesting that many of the authors are not Portuguese fans but rather international followers of Cristiano Ronaldo.
This situation arises at a time when the Portuguese captain is once again at the center of debate after a subdued performance against DR Congo. Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes, failed to register a single shot on target, and extended a goalless streak that now spans ten matches in World Cup and European Championship finals. On social media, however, many of his admirers refuse to attribute blame to the forward, instead pointing fingers at his teammates.
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