Gael Clichy has suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo could be hindering Portugal after they began their World Cup campaign with a lackluster 1-1 draw against DR Congo. Portugal entered the tournament as one of the favorites but struggled against the underdogs in their opening match.
Portugal's Disappointing Start
Roberto Martinez's side took an early lead when Joao Neves headed them ahead within seven minutes. However, they failed to capitalize on their advantage, and DR Congo scored their first-ever World Cup goal through Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa's header.
Ronaldo matched Lionel Messi's record by appearing in his sixth World Cup but could not become the first player to score in six different tournaments.
Clichy's Analysis
Speaking on BBC One, Clichy said: 'We said at the beginning that Cristiano Ronaldo will be helping young players because of his character and experience, but sometimes unconsciously those kinds of players can take too much light. When you take them out, you see players take responsibility. The game is not natural because of him being on the pitch. They tried to go wide to reach him. Maybe if he wasn't there, they could link up more in the middle.'
Clichy praised DR Congo, saying: 'Overall, it was a great point for DR Congo. They played a very good game and could have won.'
Sutton and Rooney Weigh In
Former England striker Chris Sutton also questioned Ronaldo's place, calling Portugal's performance 'painful' and 'insipid.' He criticized Martinez for not being brave enough to manage the team independently of Ronaldo.
Wayne Rooney defended his former Manchester United teammate, stating: 'The first game of the group is so important, and Portugal performed poorly. I want to see more energy and players running past Ronaldo. His stats are never the best, but if he gets chances, he will score.'
