Portugal coach defends not subbing out Cristiano Ronaldo in rough World Cup tie: ‘Makes no sense’

World Cup 2026 Soccer Portugal coach defends not subbing out Cristiano Ronaldo in rough World Cup tie: ‘Makes no sense’ By Ryan Giancola Published June 17, 2026, 8:09 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google Teams from the Iberian Peninsula have struggled early in the 2026 World Cup. After Spain failed to score against Cape Verde on Monday, Portugal failed to obtain three points in a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday in Houston. Portugal’s offense never clicked after a seventh-minute goal by João Neves, and superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless for his fifth straight World Cup game.

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