Are Portugal better without Ronaldo - and is he undroppable?

Portugal secured a 3-2 victory over Ghana on November 24, 2022, in their opening World Cup match, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the opening goal from a penalty. This marked Ronaldo's fifth World Cup appearance, a new record for a male player. Despite his individual achievement, questions about his role and impact on the team's performance have persisted. In the subsequent match against Uruguay on November 28, 2022, Portugal won 2-0, but Ronaldo did not score, and his involvement in the second goal, initially credited to him, was later officially awarded to Bruno Fernandes. This incident highlighted ongoing debates regarding Ronaldo's influence on team dynamics and scoring attribution. Portugal's progression in the tournament, including a 6-1 win against Switzerland in the Round of 16 on December 6, 2022, where Ronaldo was a substitute, further fueled discussions about the team's effectiveness with and without him in the starting lineup. The team ultimately exited the tournament in the quarter-finals, losing 1-0 to Morocco on December 10, 2022, with Ronaldo again coming off the bench.