Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, starts every 2026 World Cup match for Portugal without being substituted, scores brace vs Uzbekistan

Published Jul 2, 02:36 PM UTC

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At 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to start every match for Portugal in the 2026 World Cup without ever being substituted, according to coach Roberto Martinez. The decision has sparked controversy, with fans demanding a lineup without Ronaldo and former player Conceiçao reigniting debate about ball distribution. Despite criticism, Ronaldo responded with a brace against Uzbekistan, leading the Portuguese press to praise his performance. The article also covers related incidents, including cyberbullying of teammate João Neves after a comment about Ronaldo, and a study linking fan support for Ronaldo or Messi to political orientation. Ronaldo holds records for most international goals and has won Euro 2016 and four Champions League titles.

Source report

At 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo has started every match since the beginning of the 2026 World Cup. Portuguese coach Roberto Martinez has acknowledged that he never substitutes the veteran forward during games.

Related Coverage

Match Reports & Analysis

2026 World Cup: "He is back" – Portuguese press does a U-turn after Ronaldo's brace against Uzbekistan

2026 World Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo's annoyed reaction to a question about Messi after his brace in Portugal-Uzbekistan

Portugal-Uzbekistan: Ronaldo in brace mode, the Selecao is off the ground

Portugal-Uzbekistan: Not happy? The eternal Cristiano Ronaldo scores a brace and new records

Team & Selection Controversy

Maximum pressure for Roberto Martinez before Portugal-Uzbekistan: Fans demand a lineup without Cristiano Ronaldo

2026 World Cup: "We are not obliged to pass him the ball" – Conceiçao reignites controversy around Cristiano Ronaldo

Off-Field Incidents & Social Media

2026 World Cup: The Cristiano Ronaldo psychodrama invades even Diogo Jota's posts – relatives of the late attacker forced to disable comments

Portugal: João Neves cyberbullied – Cristiano Ronaldo tries to calm things down with a photo

10 times more comments than for the Champions League: João Neves and his partner cyberbullied after the little phrase about Cristiano Ronaldo – The seemingly innocuous comment by João Neves about Cristiano Ronaldo sparked a flood of hate and messages on the Portuguese midfielder's and his partner's social media.

Broader Context

2026 World Cup: Will Cristiano Ronaldo cry? Will Neymar play? The most unlikely bets of the World Cup

Do you support Messi or Ronaldo? Here's what it says about your political orientation – A recent study tends to show that Lionel Messi supporters lean left, while Cristiano Ronaldo fans lean right.

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Source

Home Football - actualitésWestern

Original headline: Cristiano Ronaldo

Original language: FR

Part of this Story

Thierry Henry and Pundits Criticize Ronaldo's Selfish Play in Portugal's World Cup Draw

See the full Story: all sources and camp coverage