“He’s Holding Them Back”: Cristiano Ronaldo Blamed for Portugal’s Unexpected Loss to Slovenia

• Cristiano Ronaldo has been slammed following Portugal's friendly loss
• Ronaldo was powerless as the Selecao suffered defeat against Slovenia
• The Al-Nassr captain has been advised to retire from the national team

Cristiano Ronaldo is under fire following Portugal's unexpected loss to underdogs Slovenia in an international friendly on Tuesday, March 26.

Ronaldo sat out his team's convincing 5-2 victory over Sweden with his iconic number 7 jersey controversially handed to SC Braga forward Bruma.

Ronaldo's Portugal return ends in defeat

However, upon his return to the national team after being rested, the 39-year-old witnessed Portugal succumb to their first defeat under manager Roberto Martinez, per SuperSport.

Martinez had enjoyed an 11-game winning streak since taking over from Fernando Santos after the 2022 FIFA World Cup, remaining unbeaten throughout the 2023 season, as noted by Sofascore.

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Unfortunately, the Spanish coach's first loss coincided with Ronaldo's return to the Selecao.

Fans call out Ronaldo after Portugal defeat

While Cristiano remains Portugal's all-time leading scorer and arguably the greatest goal-getter in football history, opinions vary on his significance to the national team.

CR7 has faced criticism for Portugal's loss, with particular focus on his involvement in Slovenia's first goal, where he lost possession in attack.

A fan, @breathMessi23, who appears to be an avid fan of Lionel Messi, chided Ronaldo:

"Ronaldo is holding back this golden generation of Portugal!"

@Barcavic20, a fan of Barcelona, called CR7 'finished':

"I can’t believe he lost the ball, which resulted in the goal. He’s beyond finished."

On the other hand, @blaugranacraze pleaded with Ronaldo to retire from football:

"For the sake of the game, he should retire immediately from club and national team football. Please!"

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@AstroGuy_Futbol shared some nuggets of football wisdom with the ex-Real Madrid superstar:

"He should've passed the ball and ran forward. Instead, he wanted to show off and dribble past players. 😭😭😭. He thinks he's Messi."

@SeiduAbarika lashed out:

"He just dispossessed his team and didn't even follow to win possession back or watch to see where the ball was heading after losing it. How can your team win!!! Time to leave the Portugal team and allow the young guys to prove their worth, too. He has played his part."

Ronaldo shares heartwarming moment with pitch invader

During the friendly against Slovenia, Cristiano Ronaldo made a fortunate pitch invader's evening by taking a selfie with him, as reported by Sports Brief.

Despite experiencing a frustrating match, Ronaldo exhibited his class with a heartwarming gesture towards the pitch invader.

Instead of shunning the fan, CR7 graciously paused for a few moments as they posed for a photo, eliciting smiles from the referee and Portugal defender Pepe.