Cristiano Ronaldo (foto: Getty Images)
Former France star Youri Djorkaeff believes Portugal failed to get the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup, claiming the captain was not given the support he needed.
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Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup has sparked fresh debate in Portugal after former France international Youri Djorkaeff claimed the legendary forward was not properly supported by his own teammates.
Portugal's campaign ended in the round of 16 with a defeat to Spain, bringing Ronaldo's remarkable World Cup journey to a close after six appearances at the tournament.
Djorkaeff believes Portugal never built its game around its biggest star.
Speaking to RMC Sport, the former French international argued that Ronaldo was often left isolated and was not given the service needed to make the biggest impact.
"If you take Cristiano Ronaldo to the World Cup, then the team has to play for him. That wasn't the case at all. It almost felt like his own teammates were boycotting him. He wasn't getting the ball, and they weren't creating the best possible conditions for him. If you select Ronaldo, you have to build the team around his strengths."
Ronaldo's final World Cup
The 41-year-old featured in all five of Portugal's matches and finished the tournament with three goals.
Across his six World Cup appearances dating back to 2006, Ronaldo scored 11 goals and provided two assists, cementing his place among the competition's greatest goalscorers.
Although he never lifted the World Cup trophy, Ronaldo enjoyed major success with Portugal, winning the UEFA European Championship and lifting the UEFA Nations League twice.
Asked whether failing to become a world champion remained his greatest regret, Ronaldo recently replied:
"I won the European Championship. For me, that means the same as becoming a world champion."
While opinions remain divided over Portugal's performances, Djorkaeff believes the national team never fully exploited the qualities of one of football's greatest players during his final appearance on the world's biggest stage.