Ex-Villa star urges Portugal to drop Ronaldo from World Cup XI

Former Aston Villa captain Gabriel Agbonlahor has urged Portugal manager Roberto Martinez to consider dropping captain Cristiano Ronaldo from the starting XI for their upcoming World Cup 2026 match against Uzbekistan. Agbonlahor made the comments on talkSPORT after Ronaldo's underwhelming performance against DR Congo earlier this week, stating that Ronaldo is past his best, fails to hold up the ball, and tends to drift too deep, trying to play as a number ten. He argued that Portugal has other striking options who could be more effective and suggested that if Ronaldo starts and the tactic isn't working, he should be substituted after 55-60 minutes. Agbonlahor also pointed to Ronaldo's ego, noting that while Ronaldo sees himself as bigger than the team, his rival Lionel Messi has already won a World Cup and scored a hat-trick in his opening tournament game. The debate highlights growing scrutiny over Ronaldo's current form and whether his legendary status should override tactical considerations for Portugal's World Cup ambitions. Should Martinez prioritize team cohesion and current performance by benching Ronaldo, or keep the captain for his leadership and experience despite recent struggles?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/19/world-cup-2026-portugal-coach-martinez-told-to-drop-ronaldo/