Youri Djorkaeff, world champion with France in 1998, held nothing back on RMC’s After Foot. Portugal had just been knocked out of the 2026 World Cup, eliminated by Spain in the round of 16 with a dramatic goal in the final minute. And for Djorkaeff, there was one clear culprit: the Portuguese dressing room itself.
He named names. Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes, he said, did not take on the responsibility each of them should have when the team needed it most. In his view, Cristiano Ronaldo ended up playing virtually alone, without the support of his teammates on the pitch.
The Portuguese Federation has already introduced Jorge Jesus as its new manager, and the coach himself said he will speak face-to-face with Ronaldo about his future with the national team. Meanwhile, Djorkaeff’s remark continues to resonate: was it bad luck, or did someone really turn their back on the captain?