Portugal face a difficult question: how to solve the Cristiano Ronaldo dilemma?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup appearance should be an extraordinary occasion to celebrate one of the game’s greatest players. The Portuguese star enters the tournament with an unprecedented all-time record and is set to embark on what is believed to be his final adventure on the world’s biggest stage.

But what happened in the first days of the tournament was not so much a celebration of a football legend as the beginning of a new controversy surrounding the entire Portugal national team. Statements taken out of context, fabricated quotes that quickly spread on social media and rumors that turned into headlines put Portugal at the center of a media storm that it did not need at this sensitive time.

Most dangerously, the controversy is no longer just about Ronaldo’s technical level, but has turned into a deeper discussion about the impact of his presence in the national team and coach Roberto Martinez’s ability to make decisions that serve the team, even if they conflict with his status as the greatest player in the country’s history.BBC:“.