Dave Portnoy hits out at Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal’s Round of 32 decision on 41-year-old

Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty ImagesCristiano Ronaldo and Portugal have defeated Croatia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

>The blockbuster matchup between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Luka Modric’s Croatia ended in a 2-1 win for CR7.

>Ronaldo scored one of Portugal’s goals from a spot kick before being subbed off in the second half as coach Roberto Martinez brought on Goncalo Ramos.

>At the time, the game was tied at 1-1, but Ramos fulfilled his super-sub role with a memorable 94th-minute goal.

Photo by Miikka Skaffari/Getty ImagesDave Portnoy reacts to Portugal subbing off Cristiano RonaldoComing back to Ronaldo, the 41-year-old striker was subbed off from the game at the 81st minute as Martinez wanted to inject the team with fresh legs.

>Upon seeing the decision, Dave Portnoy had a lot to say as he found a way to criticize the Portuguese legend.

>“It’s tough for me to take Renaldo seriously when they sub him in the round of 32 with a tie game in the 80th minute,” Portnoy wrote on X. “Sorry, but I like my superstars to be in the game with the World Cup on the line.”

>While Ronaldo is the biggest name in the current Portugal squad, he is no longer the undisputed best player in the team.

>In fact, if Portugal hadn’t subbed him off, there’s a chance that Croatia would have reclaimed its lead and eliminated Ronaldo’s team from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

>Read more:

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