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Former Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney has criticised Portugal’s players following their exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, accusing them of failing to make the most of Cristiano Ronaldo’s strengths.
Rooney said Portugal’s players appeared more interested in keeping possession than creating scoring opportunities for their captain, despite having chances to deliver crosses into the penalty area.
He singled out Bruno Fernandes, arguing that the midfielder did not take full advantage of Ronaldo’s aerial ability and goalscoring instincts during the tournament.
He emphasized that the 41-year-old performs best when receiving the ball inside the penalty area, but noted that he faced difficulties because Fernandes and others did not capitalize on his strengths.
“When you are playing with Cristiano Ronaldo, you must make use of him. The ball could have been delivered into the box by Bruno, but he chose not to do so.
“If you include him in the game, you need to utilize him; he remains a significant threat for Portugal during set pieces.
“Do not pass him the ball 30 yards from the goal, as that is no longer his strength. Get him the ball in the penalty area where he can still be effective,” Rooney stated (as reported by Madrid Xtra on X).
Mikel Merino came off the bench to score a goal in the 91st minute, propelling Spain into the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup and sending Ronaldo and his teammates home.
Fernandes had a disappointing World Cup, recording only one assist in five matches.
