Star-Studded Line-Up

Ronaldo, who once led the line for Inter, took the wheel of the buggy with ex-Milan midfielder Ronaldinho in the passenger seat. The pair emerged from the tunnel to deliver Madonna to centre stage before welcoming an eclectic line-up of performers. Justin Bieber, K-pop group BTS, Shakira and The Muppets joined the festivities in a break from tradition for the sport’s biggest fixture.

Record Interval

The extended interval reflected FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s vision to bring Super Bowl-style entertainment to world football’s showpiece event. The Argentine and Spanish squads faced an unusually long wait in their dressing rooms, with the break lasting 27 minutes—the longest in World Cup history. Spain and Argentina remained deadlocked at 0-0 when the second half finally began, leaving the destination of the trophy hanging in the balance after a goalless first 45 minutes.

The appearance marked a busy month for Ronaldinho, who recently ended his retirement to sign for Serie C club Ravenna. The 46-year-old has returned to Italian football with the third-tier side, adding another unexpected chapter to a career that previously saw him claim the Ballon d’Or and shine for Barcelona and Milan. His presence alongside Ronaldo—widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of his generation—created a nostalgic moment for fans who remember their dominance in European football.

Infantino had pushed for the half-time production to mirror American sporting traditions, where entertainment often rivals the main event. The lengthy interruption tested the concentration of players from both nations, who had to manage their physical and mental preparation during the extended pause. While traditionalists questioned whether such spectacles belong in football’s premier competition, the display delivered the global reach and cultural crossover that FIFA sought for the tournament hosted across the United States.

The former Azzurri stars joined fellow icons including Gabriel Batistuta, Romario and Ronaldo himself for a roundtable discussion that turned to the contentious GOAT debate. Though both men are World Cup veterans, they diverged sharply when choosing between Messi, Pelé, Diego Maradona and the Brazilian forwards.

Baggio: Quality and Quantity

Baggio, who represented Italy at three World Cup tournaments, acknowledged the difficulty of ranking such exceptional talents. He described the exercise as “even ugly to rank” when discussing players he considers “the absolute essence of football.”

Nevertheless, the 1993 Ballon d’Or winner settled on Messi, citing the Argentine’s sustained excellence. “As of today, I’d say Messi for what he’s been doing for 20 years, in terms of quality and quantity,” Baggio stated, though he stressed that Messi, Pelé and Maradona all stand above their peers.

Materazzi: The ‘Real’ Ronaldo

Materazzi, however, selected the player seated alongside him. The 2006 World Cup winner argued that Ronaldo Nazário achieved things “nobody has done” despite career-threatening injuries.

“Because what he did without two knees, going 150 km/h, nobody has done it,” Materazzi explained. He described the Brazilian as “Martian” for his ability to dominate during an era when “defenders hit hard.” Materazzi offered respect to Cristiano Ronaldo while clarifying his choice: “To me, it was him, the Phenomenon. The Real Ronaldo.”

World Cup Pedigrees

The debate carries weight given both Italians’ distinguished international careers. Baggio competed in the 1990, 1994 and 1998 tournaments, famously missing a penalty in the 1994 final defeat to Brazil. Materazzi enjoyed World Cup glory in 2006—the only edition he played—scoring twice during the tournament including the equaliser against France in the Berlin final.

While the GOAT question remains subjective, the split between two of Italy’s most celebrated players highlights how different eras and playing styles shape such judgments.

Juventus strengthen defensive ranks

Juventus are actively pursuing defensive reinforcements ahead of the new campaign. The Serie A giants have identified Pellegrino as a transfer target as they look to bolster their options at the back.

The Turin club also expect to secure a new centre-back before pre-season training begins. This recruitment forms part of their squad planning, with an agreement reportedly in place involving manager Spalletti regarding the defensive addition.

Napoli face major restructuring

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has outlined an ambitious restructuring plan, stating the club must sell 25 players during the current window. The declaration signals a significant transformation of the squad at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

De Laurentiis emphasized the scale of the operation, indicating no new arrivals will be made until the extensive departures are completed. “I won’t buy anyone, I must sell 25 players,” he stated, underscoring the financial and strategic reset underway.

Transfer activity across Italy and beyond

Sassuolo chief executive Giovanni Carnevali has engaged in discussions with officials from both Bologna and Sassuolo regarding potential deals. The meetings represent continued collaboration between the Emilia-Romagna clubs in the transfer market.

Carnevali is simultaneously preparing a fresh bid to secure striker Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain. The pursuit of the French forward highlights Sassuolo’s attacking intentions, with the club ready to make another approach to PSG after previous attempts.

Parma have resumed contacts regarding a striker valued at €30 million. The club are open to arranging the transfer as a loan deal, providing flexibility in the negotiation structure.

Elsewhere, Bournemouth are reportedly advancing their efforts to sign Kelly. The Premier League side have moved forward in their pursuit as they look to reinforce their defensive options ahead of the upcoming season.

Ronaldo, who departs as the only man to have scored at six World Cups, maintained he felt no regret despite failing to add the sport’s only missing trophy to his collection. “I go with a clear conscience,” he said. “I am sad to leave like this but I have given everything, always given my best. This is football, it is the life of a footballer. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.”

Legacy Secure Regardless of Trophy

The forward, who scored 146 goals in over 230 appearances for his country, insisted his legacy would not be defined by the absence of a World Cup winner’s medal. He pointed to Portugal’s European Championship triumph in 2016 as comparable in stature, noting that before his era the nation had never lifted a major trophy.

“I won three titles with Portugal. Before Cristiano, Portugal had never won a big trophy. The best trophy I won with the national team was 2016, which for me has the same dimension as the World Cup,” he said. “I’m not missing anything; God has been generous to me. I won’t be more Cristiano or less Cristiano if I win the World Cup or not.”

Ronaldo indicated he would not rush decisions regarding his future, stating he would not make choices “in the heat of the moment” but would instead take time with his family. “I will wake up tomorrow the same way I woke up today: with a clear conscience,” he added.

Martínez Backs Captain to the End

The defeat also marked Roberto Martínez’s final match as Portugal manager. The outgoing coach defended his decision to keep Ronaldo on the pitch throughout the contest, rejecting suggestions he should have introduced fresh legs such as Gonçalo Ramos.

“When you are a team who need a goal you cannot take him off,” Martínez explained. “He’s physically very capable, in open space and from dead balls; anything in the box, you need his experience.”

Martínez praised the 41-year-old’s influence during his tenure, which began amid questions over Ronaldo’s role. “He has been an exemplary captain. There aren’t many Ronaldos out there. His dream was to win this World Cup and he did this by being an amazing example within the dressing room.”

The manager added: “I’m not disappointed. I am proud. We played one of the favourites eye-to-eye.”

Ronaldo’s exit brings the curtain down on an international career that began in 2003, spanning six World Cups and establishing him as his country’s most capped player and record goalscorer.

The Saudi club announced the appointment in a statement: “A new chapter. Mr Ange Postecoglou appointed as head coach of the Al-Nassr first team. The contract spans two seasons. We wish him and his staff every success in their journey.”

Postecoglou replaces Jorge Jesus, who stepped down after guiding Al-Nassr to the league title on the final day of last season. He inherits a squad featuring Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who played a pivotal role in securing that championship.

Difficult Recent Spell

The 60-year-old arrives in Riyadh seeking to rebuild a reputation damaged during brief tenures at Tottenham and Nottingham Forest. While he led Spurs to Europa League success in 2025, the club dismissed him just two weeks later after they finished 17th in the Premier League.

His subsequent move to Forest during the 2025-26 campaign proved even shorter. The Australian lasted only 40 days in charge, departing without a victory from his eight matches, six of which ended in defeat. This marked a dramatic fall from grace for a manager who had previously enjoyed an unblemished record of winning league titles in every domestic job he had held.

Proven Track Record

Before these struggles, Postecoglou enjoyed considerable success. Under his leadership, Celtic won two Scottish Premiership titles and he has also claimed league championships with Brisbane Roar and Yokohama F Marinos. Between 2013 and 2017, he managed the Australia national team.

Prior to accepting the Al-Nassr post, he had been linked with the Scotland vacancy following Steve Clarke’s departure after their World Cup exit. Interest from Kazakhstan also failed to materialise, with reports suggesting his wage demands exceeded their budget.

What Next

The Saudi role offers Postecoglou an opportunity to restore his standing at a club that now sits at the summit of Saudi Arabian football. With Ronaldo leading the attack and the defending champions expecting further silverware, the pressure will be immediate as he attempts to establish stability after a turbulent eighteen months.

Questions have been raised about the accuracy of determining the exact moment a ball is released when judging offside positions, despite the use of advanced tracking technology. The match ball contains a chip designed to assist with such decisions, though concerns persist regarding the synchronization of data.

Observer Jonathan Francis highlighted the issue during discussion of the Ronaldo incident, noting: “The next issue they need to sort out, or at least clarify with respect to offside, is how they are determining when the ball is released. A few frames earlier and Ronaldo is onside.”

The debate centres on whether video graphics and ball-tracking systems are perfectly aligned when determining the precise frame of contact. While the technology produces detailed on-screen graphics, the synchronization between the ball’s internal sensor and camera footage has been called into question.

Portugal and Croatia are competing in the knockout phase of the World Cup 2026 tournament, where such marginal decisions can prove decisive in determining which side advances. The incident has reignited discussion about the implementation of offside technology at the highest level of international football.

Football’s lawmaking bodies have previously defended the accuracy of semi-automated offside systems, which were introduced to reduce decision times and improve consistency. However, this latest discussion suggests concerns remain regarding the fundamental question of when a pass is deemed to have been played.

The outcome of the match will determine which nation progresses beyond the last 32 stage of the competition.

Stylistic Parallels

Speaking to L’Equipe, the 1994 and 2002 World Cup winner drew clear parallels between his own devastating combination of speed, strength and precision during the 1990s and the current Real Madrid forward’s approach.

“As for Mbappé, his playing style reminds me of myself at my peak. He is one of the greatest players in football today and a natural heir to the legends of the game,” Ronaldo said.

The Record Chase

The glowing endorsement arrives as Mbappé, 27, mounts a serious challenge to the World Cup’s all-time scoring records. His recent brace against Iraq took his tournament tally to 16 goals, moving him past Ronaldo’s own career total and leaving him just three adrift of Lionel Messi’s current benchmark.

Ronaldo himself previously held the goal-scoring record until Germany’s Miroslav Klose overtook him during the 2014 tournament. The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker, who dominated world football with his explosive attacking play, maintains that individual milestones remain secondary to lasting influence.

Legacy Beyond Statistics

“All records are made to be broken. Football is ultimately more than just numbers. You also have to think about the legacy you leave behind,” Ronaldo told the French publication.

He considers both Messi and Mbappé worthy standard-bearers for the sport’s history, acknowledging that both players deserve their places among the tournament’s most prolific marksmen. With potentially several knockout matches remaining in France’s campaign, Mbappé stands on the brink of potentially surpassing the all-time record before the competition concludes.

Speaking to his current club’s media channels, the centre-back admitted the transition to one of Europe’s most successful dressing rooms proved testing initially. “It was difficult at the start because you walk into a dressing room where these players have won everything,” he explained. However, he stressed the importance of authenticity, adding: “It’s important to stay yourself and show yourself for who you are.”

Chiellini’s mentorship

De Ligt singled out Chiellini for particular praise during those formative months in Serie A. “Chiellini was really very helpful to me at the start,” he said. “When I arrived at Juventus he tried in every way to help me settle in and become the best player possible.”

The defender noted that he eventually recognised his celebrated team-mates as “normal people” united by common objectives. “At a certain point I understood that they were normal people and that we were there for the same goal,” he recalled.

Childhood idols become team-mates

De Ligt’s spell in Italy also brought him into close proximity with two players he had idolised during his youth. He described sharing a dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo as a “full-circle moment,” having watched the Portuguese forward during Manchester United’s 2008 Champions League triumph as a child.

“I think I was about 7 or 8 when Manchester United won the Champions League,” he said. “At that time he was, obviously, one of the most important players in the world.” He noted that Ronaldo’s distinctive style made him “probably one of my first idols.”

The defender also highlighted his admiration for Christian Eriksen, the Danish midfielder who shared his early positional history. “In the youth teams I also played in midfield and he played exactly in my position,” De Ligt explained. “So at that time he was really the example of one of the players I admired most.” He described the experience of eventually playing alongside both figures as “curious,” noting: “He was one of my biggest idols when I was younger.”

Lessons from Italy

Despite the early difficulties, De Ligt values his Italian experience as a period of significant development. When asked what he learned during his time in Serie A, he responded simply: “A lot, in every league I learned something.”

The defender now applies those lessons at Old Trafford, where he continues his career following his departure from Juventus.

Ronaldo required merely six minutes to announce his presence, timing his run perfectly to meet João Cancelo’s near-post cutback and dispatch a crisp half-volley. The strike settled early nerves for Roberto Martínez’s side, who had faced criticism following an unconvincing opening result.

Portugal’s second goal arrived in the 17th minute after Pedro Neto was fouled on the edge of the area. Ronaldo, having assumed his characteristic preparatory stance, surprised observers by stepping aside for Nuno Mendes, who curled a precise free-kick past goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov.

The former Manchester United forward claimed his second in the 39th minute, collecting a measured pass from Bruno Fernandes and converting from a tight angle to establish a 3-0 advantage at the interval.

Second-half procession

The pattern continued after the restart. Fernandes’ low, inswinging corner caused confusion in the Uzbekistan six-yard box, resulting in an own goal—credited by some reports to defender Abdukodir Khusanov and by others to Nematov—that effectively extinguished any prospect of a recovery.

Uzbekistan were denied even a consolation when Azizjon Ganiev’s spectacular long-range strike was ruled out by VAR; replays showed Abbosbek Fazyullaev had fouled Cancelo during the build-up. The decision preserved Diogo Costa’s clean sheet and Portugal’s dominance.

Rafael Leão provided the finishing touch in the closing stages, driving a rising shot into the net to complete the rout and send Portugal temporarily to the summit of Group K.

Qualification picture

The emphatic victory significantly strengthens Portugal’s position ahead of the final group fixture. For Uzbekistan, coached by Cannavaro, the defeat leaves their fate dependent upon the outcome of the subsequent match between Colombia and DR Congo.

Martínez will hope the performance signals a genuine upturn in form rather than merely the benefit of facing inferior opposition, with sterner tests awaiting in the knockout rounds should qualification be confirmed.

• Cristiano Ronaldo receives harsh criticism for his displays at the 2026 World Cup finals
• Supporters claim the veteran striker has become a burden rather than an asset for Portugal
• Manager Roberto Martinez faces questions over his loyalty to the ageing forward
• Observers compare Ronaldo’s struggles with Lionel Messi’s excellent form for Argentina
• Analysts suggest Martinez must bench Ronaldo to unlock Portugal’s full potential

Football fans have launched fierce attacks on Cristiano Ronaldo following another disappointing display for Portugal at the World Cup. The 39-year-old forward appears past his best, with many supporters claiming he now slows down the team instead of driving it forward.

One angry supporter pointed out the sharp contrast between Ronaldo and other older players at the tournament. While Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper has produced stunning saves, and Argentina’s Lionel Messi continues to shine brightly, Ronaldo looks tired and ineffective. The fan argued that the former Manchester United star has transformed from Portugal’s engine into a heavy weight that drags the side down.

The blame has also landed firmly at the feet of manager Roberto Martinez. Critics cannot understand why the Spanish coach refuses to drop his captain. Martinez previously took charge of Belgium’s golden generation but failed to win any major trophies with that talented group. Now he leads what many call Portugal’s strongest ever squad, yet he seems unable to make the bold decisions needed to succeed.

Questions surround how Martinez keeps his job. Some fans joke that he must possess damaging secrets about football bosses, or perhaps he performs extremely well in interviews. His record suggests he struggles when faced with difficult choices about star players. At this World Cup, where top managers show their class, Martinez appears out of his depth.

Portugal possesses enough quality to challenge for the trophy. However, the team will likely exit early unless Martinez finds the courage to leave Ronaldo on the substitute bench. The clock is ticking for both the player and the coach to prove their critics wrong.