Paul Scholes: Cristiano Ronaldo Has Become a Problem for Portugal

English football legend and former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has expressed sharp views on Portugal national team forward Cristiano Ronaldo. In his opinion, the 41-year-old striker is currently negatively impacting the team's overall play and creating a difficult situation for coach Roberto Martinez. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

In the first round of the World Cup, the Portugal national team played to a draw (1:1) against DR Congo. In this match, Cristiano Ronaldo failed to stand out with effective actions. According to Goal.com, analyzing the situation, Scholes emphasized that the age factor plays a significant role in modern football. According to him, at 41, it is only advisable to take the field as a goalkeeper.

Competition and Psychological Pressure

Scholes noted that Cristiano Ronaldo's mood is affected not only by his own performance but also by the results shown by his eternal rival Lionel Messi and young star Kylian Mbappe. Lionel Messi scored three goals against Algeria in the tournament's first game, recording a hat-trick. Kylian Mbappe managed to score a brace.

"Cristiano is very angry right now because Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick and Kylian Mbappe scored two goals. It's clear this is eating him up inside. I feel sorry for Roberto Martinez; he's trying to soften the situation by saying he has the world's best goalscorer, but deep down he knows it's harming the team," says Scholes.

Tactical Problems and Solutions

Despite having many skilled players in the Portugal national team, Cristiano Ronaldo's presence in the center of the attack is slowing down the team's transition speed. In Scholes' opinion, a striker in modern football must be in constant motion and put pressure on defenders.

Paul Scholes also offered his suggestion on how to use the experienced striker: "Ronaldo can score in a team that dominates possession, but his movements in fast counter-attacks create problems. Portugal has other great attackers who need a player capable of running. I think Cristiano should only come on in the final 15 minutes."

Currently, the Portugal national team and its coaching staff are under criticism. Whether Roberto Martinez will make changes to the lineup in the next games or continue to trust the five-time Ballon d'Or winner remains to be seen. For Uzbek football fans, this conflict and the indirect duel between the two legends always remain at the center of attention.