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It should hardly come as a shock that a 41-year-old centre-forward may no longer possess the pace and sharpness of his prime years.

However, there remains a loyal section of Cristiano Ronaldo supporters who refuse to acknowledge his decline, choosing instead to defend him against even the clearest signs of struggle on the pitch.

Ronaldo’s influence—or perceived lack thereof—was again a talking point during Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo. The veteran forward extended his drought at major tournaments, having failed to score since Portugal’s opening match of the 2022 World Cup, a run that now stretches across four years and ten fixtures.

Midfielder Joao Neves, who netted Portugal’s goal in that encounter, offered a measured reflection after the game. “We know what Cristiano has done for our national team,” he said. “But right now, I feel that both he and all of us are focused on contributing equally; he’s just another player helping the team.”

Despite the neutral tone of Neves’ remarks, some of Ronaldo’s most passionate supporters interpreted them as a slight against the star. The backlash was swift—Neves’ social media accounts, as well as those of his girlfriend Madalena Aragao, were flooded with criticism from aggrieved fans.

Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi expressed public support for Neves with emoji reactions, which in turn drew ire from Ronaldo’s online followers. Adding to the drama, Ronaldo’s sister Katia Aveiro appeared to like a social media post that criticised Fernandes’ performance against DR Congo. The post stated: “This one here (Fernandes) is the Raphinha for Portugal. He bottles it too much for the national team.”

Meanwhile, former strikers-turned-pundits Chris Sutton and Thierry Henry were among those who criticised both Ronaldo’s showing and manager Roberto Martinez’s decision to keep the forward on the pitch for the entire 90 minutes.

Portugal will continue their World Cup campaign against Uzbekistan on Tuesday, followed by their final group-stage clash against table-toppers Colombia the following Sunday. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout phase, along with the eight best third-placed sides.