Djorkaeff accuses Vitinha and Portuguese leaders of boycotting Ronaldo at World Cup

Youri Djorkaeff defended Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal’s elimination in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, but he did not spare the other leaders of the national team. For the 1998 World Cup champion, CR7 is not solely responsible for the Portuguese shipwreck.

Roberto Martinez’s Portugal was knocked out by Spain 1-0, ending a disappointing tournament for a team expected to go much further. Cristiano Ronaldo, in the crosshairs of criticism since the final whistle, found an unexpected defender in Djorkaeff.

« If you take Cristiano Ronaldo, the team must play for Cristiano Ronaldo, and that was not the case at all. You can feel he was boycotted by his own team. He was not served, he was not put in the best conditions. We know Cristiano, he’s been playing for 40 years. He plays the same way. What are you expecting? That he changes? », the former French international declared.

Djorkaeff then broadened his criticism to the entire squad: « Either you don’t take him, or you take him while making sure the team plays for him. What I didn’t like about this Portugal team, even though they have talent, is that everyone passed the buck to Cristiano. »

The former PSG player then specifically targeted Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes, believing that the midfield leaders also fell short at the World Cup. « At some point, whether it’s Vitinha, players who have won, Bruno Fernandes or whoever, you have to take responsibility. It’s not just Cristiano casting a shadow over everyone », he concluded.

These statements reignite the debate over Martinez’s tactical management and the cohabitation, never truly resolved, between Ronaldo and a generation of technical midfielders built for a different style of football.