Vieira urges Portugal coach to bench Ronaldo after DR Congo draw
Former France midfielder Patrick Vieira has called on Portugal manager Roberto Martinez to bench Cristiano Ronaldo in their next World Cup match against Uzbekistan. Vieira made the comments on The Rest Is Football podcast after Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo, where Ronaldo failed to score. 'He has to think about the team first before thinking about Ronaldo,' Vieira said, adding that Martinez should make a strong decision about Ronaldo if the team performs better without him. The Arsenal legend expressed concern that Ronaldo's legacy would be 'spoiled a little bit' if he starts and gets substituted, given his extraordinary two-decade career. Martinez previously explained why he kept Ronaldo on the pitch during the DR Congo match. Portugal continues their World Cup campaign without registering a win in their opening two matches, raising questions about team selection and tactical approach.