Former England Star Urges Portugal to Bench Ronaldo, Says He’ll Never Be Messi

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Portugal’s 2026 World Cup campaign got off to a rocky start with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo. Ex-England striker Jay Bothroyd told a sports channel that Cristiano Ronaldo’s insistence on a starting role may be holding the team back. He argued the 41-year-old should embrace a substitute role and stop chasing Lionel Messi’s legacy. With a tougher Group K fixture against Uzbekistan looming, Portugal can’t afford another slip if they want to reach the knockout rounds.

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