SI:AM | Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo Problem

DAN GARTLAND 

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I can’t believe the photos coming out of the Knicks’ parade in lower Manhattan. The parade route is just a few blocks from the old SI office and I’ve never seen the streets look anything like that. We’re tracking every update from the parade in a live blog.  

In today’s SI:AM:

🇵🇹 Portugal struggles in WC opener

⚾ MLB All-Star picks

🇲🇽 Mexico’s NBA draft prospect 

How do you say “washed” in Portuguese?

Troy Taormina/Imagn Images

Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly the best player in the history of the Portuguese national team, but it’s time for the team to accept that his time as a global superstar is just that—history. 

Portugal opened its World Cup campaign on Wednesday in Houston with a 1–1 draw against DR Congo. The Portuguese scored just six minutes into the game on a header by João Neves but never really threatened again. DR Congo got an equalizer just before halftime and clamped down in the second half to earn a valuable point. 

⚽ Check out SI’s World Cup Daily

Ronaldo contributed little to the game. He didn’t record his first shot attempt until the 67th minute, and all three of his attempts were off target. Or maybe it’s better to say that Ronaldo’s most significant contributions were negative ones. Throughout the game, he appeared to be more focused on scoring a goal than helping his team to score a goal. He seemed to believe the entire offense should run through him. 

On the Fox postgame show, Thierry Henry gave a detailed explanation of how Ronaldo’s selfishness was harming the team. Henry pointed to one moment in the second half where Portugal was threatening in the final third. Portugal had three players in the 18-yard box and three Congolese players marking them. If Ronaldo had made a run toward the goal, it would have freed up Bruno Fernandes to receive a pass with time and room to shoot. Instead, Ronaldo ran toward the ball, into the path of a pass apparently intended for Fernandes, and shot the ball wide. CONTINUE DAN’S COLUMN ON SI 

 

OpenWeb

Recommended by  

The best of Sports Illustrated

Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

How Karim López Became Mexico’s Biggest NBA Prospect in Decades

By Chris MannixREAD MORE

David Reginek-Imagn Images

Super Bowl LXI Road Map: Why the Lions Can (or Can’t) Win It All

By Matt VerderameREAD MORE

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

 How Mike McDaniel Can Get Justin Herbert in the MVP Conversation

By Albert BreerREAD MORE

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

SI’s 2026 MLB All-Star Team: Mike Trout Returns, Jacob Misiorowski Earns NL Starting Nod

By SI StaffREAD MORE

Courtesy of Boston Legacy FC

Lilly Reale ‘Excited for the Challenge’ of Joining NWSL’s Boston Legacy FC

By Jenna TonelliREAD MORE 

Purchase SI Commemorative Issue

After ending a 53-year title drought, the Knicks are on top of the NBA world. To celebrate, Sports Illustrated is producing a commemorative championship issue that you can purchase now and will be on newsstands in New York.PURCHASE THE COMMEMORATIVE NOW 

Get the print edition of Sports Illustrateddelivered to your door.

Click to subscribe! 

John Sokolowski-Imagn Images

👀 The top five …

… things I saw yesterday: 

5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s dive to beat a runner to first base. 

4. Everson Pereira’s catch in center field as he crashed into the wall. Pereira’s White Sox were losing to the Yankees, 10–3, at the time. Give him credit for putting in maximum effort even with the game out of reach. “That’s what we are here for,” Pereira said of his play, speaking through an interpreter. “Even though we were down seven runs, we have a pitcher on the mound. The runs count for him, too. We want to do our best to help each other.”

3. Daniel Muñoz’s brilliant one-touch finishfor Colombia’s second goal against Uzbekistan. 

2. Caleb Yirenkyi’s winning goal for Ghana against Panama late in stoppage time. Yirenkyi got the goal, but it was Antoine Semenyo’s through ball and Brandon Thomas-Asante’s dead sprint to retrieve it that made the play possible. 

1. The small cluster of Congolese fans celebrating their team’s goal against Portugalat a watch party in Lisbon.  

The best of SI Video

 

With NFL mandatory minicamps wrapping up today, Albert Breer and Conor Orr make their early 2026 NFL award picks in the latest episode of The MMQB NFL Podcast. 

OpenWeb

Recommended by  


We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email.

Sports Publishing Solutions Inc.
625 Broadway, 10th floor
New York, NY. 10012
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI:AM newsletter.

You can unsubscribe here  .

Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions

© 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC.
All betting and gambling content included in the SI:AM newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators’ opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLERor texting 800GAM.

Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.

Unknown's avatar

Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

Leave a Comment