Vieira Warns Ronaldo Is a ‘Problem’ for Portugal

Former France and Arsenal star Patrick Vieira has described Cristiano Ronaldo as a ‘huge problem’ for Portugal coach Roberto Martinez, warning that starting the veteran forward disrupts the team’s balance.

Speaking after Portugal’s 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Vieira argued that Ronaldo should be benched, though he acknowledged the difficulty of such a decision given the forward’s status and career history.

‘It’s hard to tell Ronaldo he won’t start, but the manager must put the team first,’ Vieira said.

Ronaldo endured another frustrating evening against Congo, registering three off-target shots and extending his run to ten consecutive games without scoring in major tournaments.

Former England striker Gary Lineker noted that the drought risks damaging Ronaldo’s legacy.

Despite mounting criticism, Martinez defended his decision to keep Ronaldo on the pitch.

‘It made no sense to remove him when we needed a goal,’ the Portugal coach explained.