World Cup: Two Manchester United legends defend Cristiano Ronaldo — and point the finger at one Portugal teammate

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup on Monday after a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16 in Arlington, Texas,

Mikel Merino's stoppage-time goal ending what proved to be a deeply underwhelming campaign for Roberto Martinez's side. As the dust settled, criticism was directed squarely at the 41-year-old, and two Manchester United legends have moved to defend him.

Ronaldo scored three times in five appearances at the tournament, breaking a remarkable collection of records in the process. He became the first player to score at six different World Cups, the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history — with his penalty against Croatia — and Portugal's all-time leading World Cup scorer with 11 goals.

Despite those landmarks, his overall contribution fell short of expectations, and the post-elimination debate was swift and pointed.

Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alessandro Del Piero all came to Ronaldo's defence, but the most forthright response came from two of his former Manchester United teammates.

Ferdinand points to Ronaldo's record and his movement

Rio Ferdinand took to social media to challenge those questioning Ronaldo's place in the squad. 'It is incredible how some people have short memories,' the former United centre-back said. 'I am talking about the World Cup qualifiers. Who was Portugal's top scorer? Cristiano Ronaldo. And now people are saying he should not even be here?'

Ferdinand did not stop there, drawing a comparison with one of football's most feared forwards. 'If you want a chance to fall to someone, he is still that man,' he said. 'His movement is still one of the best in football. Maybe only Haaland comes close when it comes to movement inside the penalty area.'

Ferdinand went further, arguing that the team itself needed to adapt to Ronaldo rather than the other way around.

'Players evolve and age. They become different athletes. And if they are still good enough, the team also needs to adapt to bring out their best. Putting all the blame on Cristiano Ronaldo and saying he was responsible for Portugal's elimination is, in my opinion, completely absurd.'

Rooney targets Fernandes directly

Wayne Rooney, speaking as a BBC pundit during the Spain fixture, was equally direct, but focused his criticism on Ronaldo's teammates rather than their manager.

'If you are playing Cristiano Ronaldo, you have to use him,' Rooney said.

'The ball could have been put in the box here, from Bruno Fernandes. But they refuse to put it in. If you play him, you have to use him. At set pieces, he is still a massive threat for Portugal. Do not play him the ball 30 yards from the goal, that is not his strength any more. Get him into the penalty area where he is still effective.'

What the statistics say

The numbers lend some weight to both men's arguments. Ronaldo had four clear-cut chances created for him during the tournament and converted two of them — his third goal, against Croatia, came from the penalty spot.

For context, Haaland — cited by Ferdinand — scored seven goals at the tournament for Norway from five big chances missed.

Perhaps the most striking statistic from Portugal's campaign concerns their midfield creativity. Portugal's two full-backs, Nuno Mendes and Joao Cancelo, created more big chances for teammates — six in total — than all of Portugal's central midfielders combined.

Vitinha created one and Fernandes two across the entire tournament, and neither registered an assist.

Ronaldo himself spoke with characteristic defiance after the final whistle. 'I'm sad to be leaving the World Cup like this,' he said. 'I gave it my all. I did my best, and I'm leaving with a clear conscience. It was my last World Cup, yes, but I'll now have time to reflect and be with my family. I won't be making any rash decisions.'