Bruno Fernandes and Portugal were a tough watch on Wednesday evening, drawing to DR Congo as concerns over Cristiano Ronaldo came to fruition.
Among the pre-tournament favourites, Portugal underwhelmed against the DR Congo, limping to a 1-1 draw, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance seeing plenty of criticism directed at the 41-year-old.
Bruno Fernandes also started for Portugal, as even he wasn’t able to save this side, doomed to fail in its current state. Fernandes believes Portugal can win the World Cup, but there needs to be a lot of improvement and a different game plan.
Following this display, the Portuguese press ripped into Ronaldo, but Fernandes wasn’t immune.
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Portuguese press react to disappointing Bruno Fernandes performance
Expectations were high for Fernandes at the World Cup this summer, but he certainly didn’t show his United form against DR Congo.
While not blamed for the result, Fernandes wasn’t given glowing reviews by the media in Portugal.
CNN Portugal only handed Fernandes a 4/10 match rating, explaining this was mainly due to the performance being below his usual quality.
“If Cristiano Ronaldo had let the ball slip through his legs in the 69th minute, Bruno Fernandes could have put Portugal back in the lead. However, since this 2-1 scoreline never ceased to be somewhat metaphysical, it’s worth highlighting the moment in the first half when Bruno Fernandes found Nuno Mendes with a through ball behind the Congolese defence. The eternal number 8 didn’t have a bad game, but he also wasn’t what the Portuguese expect from the best player in the Premier League.”
Following this, Trivela appreciated Fernandes’ effort but blamed him for the DR Congo goal, resulting in a 6/10 rating.
“Expectations were high after his historic season with Manchester United, and he tried his best to create opportunities, without success. He was also ‘responsible’ for Wissa’s goal.”
Additionally, GoalPoint rated Fernandes a 6.3/10, which was the joint second best for his side, which wasn’t saying much.
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Fernandes needs to carry Portugal if they are to succeed
Long gone are the days when Portugal could rely on Cristiano Ronaldo to step up and help them get through games, even in such a winnable group stage.
But based on the evidence against DR Congo, any success Portugal could potentially have at this World Cup will involve Fernandes stepping up and carrying them in the same way he did United during the 2024/25 season.
Manuel Ugarte said Fernandes would struggle at the World Cup, and so far, his prediction is coming true, but Portugal needs this to change.
While it feels harsh, Ronaldo needs to be dropped as he is detrimental to the team right now. There is no shame at 41 in playing from the bench; if he really wants to win the World Cup, he needs to acknowledge this.
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