Mansion Sports – Former France national team player Christophe Dugarry delivered a scathing assessment of Cristiano Ronaldo. He believes the legendary forward’s ego is instead destroying his own reputation.

The 1998 World Cup winner expressed his frustration with the ongoing drama surrounding the Al-Nassr star and the Portugal national team.

Dugarry Slams Ronaldo

The situation surrounding Ronaldo’s future with the national team has reached a boiling point, prompting former France striker Dugarry to speak out and express his disappointment.

Speaking on the French radio show Rothen s'enflamme, Dugarry did not hold back his criticism of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who recently left the Portugal squad following a series of disagreements with coach Jesus.

“This is making me tired. It’s really bad to see so little respect for your teammates, for your country,” Dugarry said during an appearance on RMC Sport.

The former AC Milan and Barcelona player said Ronaldo’s current behavior is very different from the professional and team-oriented image he had built over the past two decades.

“It’s bad because that’s not the image he used to show. He used to portray himself as a healthy person, a team player, someone great and generous.”

“And now, I get the impression that he has changed, that his ego has been eating him alive over the past few months.”

“Yet he could have left through the biggest door, and now everything is over, everything is a mess. How do you expect him to come back? To do what?” Dugarry asked.

Struggling to Accept a Supporting Role

Dugarry then argued that a player of Ronaldo’s stature should have enough self-awareness to recognize when his level of performance begins to decline.

The Frenchman pointed out that Portugal have actually looked more cohesive and effective without their captain in their most recent international fixtures.

“The talent of a great player like Ronaldo should also include the ability to recognize when you are no longer performing at your best. That has happened in the last three international competitions. His national team has been more effective without him,” Dugarry continued.

The former striker regretted that a legend had allowed disagreements over playing time to interfere with his commitment to the team.

He added, “He should be at the stage where he passes the torch, gives the torch to someone else. All of this is simply because the coach said you would play the final 30 minutes and then changed his plan... What message are you sending to Portugal’s young players?”

Ronaldo Leaves National Team Camp

Although the coach attempted to downplay the drama, the situation developed rapidly when Jesus told the media that Ronaldo would also not start in the next Nations League match against Denmark.

Shortly after the announcement, the legendary forward took the drastic step of leaving the Portugal camp after holding a private discussion with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.

His departure sparked reports of a serious breakdown in their relationship, suggesting that the veteran striker felt the handling of his role had been communicated poorly and was personally insulting to him.

Jesus has since attempted to offer a path toward reconciliation by stating that the door remains open for Ronaldo’s return, but the damage to their working relationship appears to be significant.

Portugal Continue to Impress Amid Off-Field Chaos

While the narrative surrounding the national team has been dominated by Ronaldo’s frustration, the results on the pitch tell a different story.

Since the Al-Nassr forward unexpectedly left camp, Jorge Jesus’ side have maintained an impressive run of form.

Portugal have won three consecutive matches and comfortably secured their place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

This success further strengthens the perception that the team are ready to enter a new era led by young talents such as Goncalo Ramos and Bruno Fernandes, who have stood out more prominently in the absence of their veteran leader.