Congo player’s blunt take on Cristiano Ronaldo: “He’s getting a bit old”

After Portugal’s surprising draw against DR Congo, the media focused on capturing reactions from the African players to back up their strong performance as clear underdogs against a European powerhouse.

The most outspoken was Ngal’ayel Mukau, the Lille midfielder, who didn’t hold back when speaking about Portugal’s all-time top scorer. Rather than avoiding the question, he gave a blunt assessment of what Cristiano Ronaldo can still offer.

Asked whether they had prepared a special plan to stop Ronaldo, Mukau was direct, making clear the message from head coach Sébastien Desabre:

“To be honest, not really, because we know he isn’t the same as before. He’s a bit older now, but he’s still one of the best to ever play the game,” Mukau said in the mixed zone after the 1–1 draw.

His comments were interpreted as suggesting that Ronaldo no longer instills the same fear in opponents as he once did—and the midfielder doubled down:

“When you get older, it’s not the same—you can’t make the same efforts.”

The remarks drew attention in Portuguese media, which also questioned the decision by head coach Roberto Martínez not to substitute Ronaldo during the more than 100 minutes the match lasted.