CDM 2026: “how many times has it happened?”, Michael Owen sees Ronaldo catching up to Messi

The former England striker, Michael Owen, chose not to criticize Cristiano Ronaldo, preferring to show his support for the Portuguese star and hope for a return to the highest level during the ongoing World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo faced severe criticism after Portugal’s draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-1) on the opening day of Group K, June 17. This result was particularly scrutinized as, the day before, Lionel Messi had scored a hat-trick for Argentina in their win against Algeria.

A former key player during England’s glory days in the World Cup, Michael Owen remains confident in the ability of the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus player to quickly regain his offensive effectiveness. In his column for the Daily Mail, he stated: “The situation of Cristiano Ronaldo was not helped by Lionel Messi’s hat-trick the day before Portugal’s match, but I refuse to endorse the criticism aimed at him. How many times has he been in this kind of situation before silencing his detractors in the next match? If you choose to line up Ronaldo, you have to accept his role. I wouldn’t be surprised if he responds with a hat-trick against Uzbekistan.”

That said, the statistics for the Portuguese striker in this opening match raise questions. At 41 years old, he did not hit the target with any of his three attempts and generally struggled to influence the game. This performance extends an unusual streak: ten consecutive matches in major tournaments without scoring a single goal.