Kyle Walker has responded to a question about whether he would enjoy playing against Cristiano Ronaldo and the current Portugal squad at the FIFA World Cup. This comes amidst growing criticism targeting the talismanic forward after their abysmal start to the tournament.
Walker, who stepped back from international football earlier this year, refused to condemn the legendary striker. When asked if he would face 41-year-old Ronaldo, the former Manchester City defender said on talkSPORT:
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“I think, obviously, everyone’s talking about it now that he’s getting a little bit too old and he’s probably not got the powers that he had from way back when. And I’m probably not going to come here and start criticizing or having a comment on Cristiano Ronaldo playing football…
“Because he’s earned the right to do what he wants, I believe. Obviously, he wants Portugal to win a World Cup while he’s in the team. So, I can definitely assure you, as a footballer, he’s definitely trying his best. But sometimes, you just have an off game.”
Ronaldo and his team-mates failed to unlock a stubborn DR Congo side in Houston on June 17 (ET). Joao Neves put Portugal ahead after less than six minutes, but the early advantage could not be built on. Yoane Wissa scored DR Congo’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal to snatch a shock 1-1 draw.
The result extended an alarming trend, as it was the fourth time in five FIFA World Cup editions that Portugal have failed to win their opening game. However, Kyle Walker has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to bounce back from that frustrating start.
Chris Sutton criticizes decision to keep Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch in FIFA World Cup opener
Not everyone was as magnanimous as Kyle Walker had been on air when talking about Cristiano Ronaldo. There was plenty of sharp analysis of the forward’s subpar display, and much of the focus was on Roberto Martinez’s unwillingness to substitute him.
BBC Radio 5 Live co-commentator and ex-striker Chris Sutton was ruthless in his assessment of the manager’s late change decisions. When Goncalo Ramos came on in the 83rd minute for Vitinha instead of Ronaldo, Sutton did not mince his words (via BBC):
“That’s embarrassing from Martinez. It might work but are we all watching a different game? He’s scared to take him off. He’s not the manager. [Ronaldo] may end up scoring the winner but the game has passed him by today.”
Portugal boss Roberto Martinez defended keeping his talisman on, saying he wouldn’t take off the best striker in the world when chasing a goal. Both Portugal and DR Congo will now look to their remaining FIFA World Cup Group K fixtures, with the Selecao in need of a much sharper performance next time out.
Edited by Nnanna Mba
