Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance in Portugal’s World Cup opener was far from convincing, and it could still get even more embarrassing.
Polymarket posted its most-watched novelty line of the 2026 World Cup on June 18 – “Will Ronaldo Cry at the World Cup?” – and the implied probability has surged past 60% with $125,965 already traded on the market.
The catalyst was Ronaldo‘s ghostlike showing in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo on June 17, a display that drew heavy criticism from fans and pundits.
Best US Sportsbooks For The World Cup: $5,440 in Bonuses
| Sportsbook | Welcome Bonus | Claim Offer |
|---|---|---|
 |
125% Welcome Bonus Up To $1,250 | Bet Now |
 |
50% Up To $250 In Free Bonuses | Bet Now |
 |
$250 Welcome Bonus For World Cup | Bet Now |
 |
100% Welcome Bonus Up To $2,500 | Bet Now |
 |
$1,000 Sign-Up Bonus & World Cup Props | Bet Now |
 |
Welcome Bonus of $200 With Credit Card | Bet Now |
Will Cristiano Ronaldo Cry At The World Cup?
Whilst his fierce rival Lionel Messi scoring a stunning hat-trick in Argentina’s thumping victory over Algeria, the market for Ronaldo to finish as the tournament’s golden boot winner has drastically drifted.
Instead, Polymarket have opened a betting line if Ronaldo is visibly crying on the pitch or bench before, during, or immediately after a World Cup match.
Pricing has swung between 53% and 75% since the market opened, before stabilising in the mid-60s following the DR Congo result. The volatility mirrors how sharply sentiment shifts with each Ronaldo news cycle.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Performance That Moved the Market
Ronaldo finished the DR Congo match with zero shots on target and just 25 touches – the second fewest in a World Cup start across his entire career.
That result extended his major tournament goal drought to 10 games, covering 33 shots and 11 on target with nothing to show. He also became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup game at 41 years and 123 days.
Ronaldo has now turned to a statistical drag on Portugal‘s attacking output – a problem Roberto Martinez’s side can ill afford to absorb.
JUST IN: The odds of Ronaldo crying at the World Cup are now north of 60%.https://t.co/FfWSbmrBuq
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) June 18, 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo Pundit Criticism
The volume of pundit criticism that followed the draw was extraordinary even by Ronaldo-sceptic standards. Thierry Henry at Fox Sports delivered the sharpest verdict, saying “The team needs to score. Not YOU need to score,” accusing Ronaldo of blocking Bruno Fernandes‘ path to goal by prioritising personal scoring opportunities.
French pundit Daniel Riolo at RMC called Ronaldo “a plague on his team,” adding that Portugal “played with ten men and a post up front.” Former Watford striker Troy Deeney said “the legend that is Ronaldo is not there anymore,” pointing directly to Messi‘s hat-trick for Argentina the previous day as the defining contrast.
Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live questioned manager Roberto MartÃnez‘s decision to leave Ronaldo on, stating flatly: “The game has passed him by”
Other newspaper outlets called Ronaldo “a statue” and wrote that Portugal had sacrificed “yet another World Cup to Cristiano Ronaldo’s ego.” Another noted that the day after Messi justified his Argentina place emphatically, Portugal received “a reminder of why Cristiano Ronaldo should not be in theirs.”
Previous History Suggests Cristiano Ronaldo Could Cry
This is not a random novelty line – this is a market pricing a historically documented pattern. Ronaldo cried visibly after Euro 2004 and again following Portugal‘s 2022 World Cup quarterfinal exit to Morocco.
Those moments built his reputation as emotionally visible under tournament pressure, and the cameras know exactly where to look.
At 41, this is almost certainly his final World Cup. The emotional stakes are genuinely elevated. Analysts at The Action Network noted the crying market is “one of the most traded novelty props of the entire tournament,” adding that crowd pricing moves more on narrative virality than on quantifiable modelling.
Will Portugal Qualify For The Knockout?
Portugal‘s remaining group-stage fixtures are the immediate repricing triggers. Any knockout-round jeopardy – particularly a penalty shootout exit or an early elimination – would push the Polymarket probability sharply higher.
Traders should also watch for any Polymarket dispute-resolution clarifications if borderline footage from tunnels or mixed zones tests the market’s resolution criteria.
World Cup betting has never produced a prop quite like this one – a market that combines performance metrics, emotional history, and the oldest outfield starter in tournament history into a single line.
