Kolkata: The question on everyone's mind is: can Portugal find a solution to the Cristiano Ronaldo problem? Thierry Henry's comment that the team, not Ronaldo, needs to score has aged well after the 1-1 draw against DR Congo.
The 2026 opener was the 10th major tournament match where Ronaldo couldn't score, the last being a penalty against Ghana in Qatar in 2022. However, he has the numbers, having scored 15 times for Portugal since 2024, with 8 goals in 9 internationals last year.
Ronaldo has taken more shots per 90 minutes (7.44) in this qualifying campaign than he had on the road to Qatar (5.67 per 90). Metrics such as dribbles attempted, duels won or chances created have gone down, but shots inside the box have risen.
Portugal have an abundance of attacking midfielders and wide players, but they lack elite strikers. Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos can replace Ronaldo, but their figures are underwhelming. The top four scorers in the past three seasons of the Primeira Liga are not Portuguese, and neither did anyone from Portugal top the goal charts in Europe's top five in 2025-26.
Ronaldo's value to the team is undeniable, but three shots, none on target, and 25 touches in the last match could merit a rethink. National team bosses do not have the time to adopt a new strategy, and the question remains: will Portugal find a silver bullet to solve the Ronaldo conundrum?
