World Cup: A football legend accuses Portuguese players of boycotting Cristiano

Youri Djorkaeff, a member of the French team that won the World Cup in 1998, attacked Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates.

Former French international Youri Djorkaeff defended Cristiano Ronaldo on the RMC show After Foot, claiming that the Portuguese striker had not received the necessary support from his teammates and even suggesting that he had been the victim of a "boycott" during the tournament.

Following Portugal's elimination by Spain, Djorkaeff stated that when a team decides to integrate a player of Ronaldo's caliber, the entire system must be built around maximizing his strengths.

"If you sign Cristiano Ronaldo, the team has to play for him, and that simply wasn't the case. It was obvious he was being boycotted by his own team. They weren't giving him the ball, they weren't putting him in the best conditions to succeed. Either you don't sign him, or you sign him and make sure the team plays for him."

The 1998 World Cup winner with France believes that Portugal failed to get the most out of the all-time leading scorer in international football and criticized the lack of understanding between Ronaldo and his teammates throughout the competition.

Controversy from day one

Djorkaeff's comments come after a World Cup marked by intense media attention surrounding Ronaldo's role within the Portuguese national team. Following Portugal's draw against DR Congo in their opening match, the captain's prominent position became a major topic of discussion, creating divisions both within the team and among the fans.