Ronaldo faces a storm of criticism; Portuguese player speaks out.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is used to dealing with the media pressure we face at club, with the national team, and in tournaments from Europe to the world. In a tournament like this, there's never any perfection. The World Cup is where you can only win if you play well in every game.", Reuters Quoting Ruben Dias, the central defender for the Portuguese national team.

Ronaldo has become the target of fan criticism as his goal drought in major tournaments has stretched to 10 matches. Since the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, he hasn't scored another goal. In fact, the Al Nassr star has revealed many weaknesses and struggles to perform at the highest level.

Many Portuguese players have been heavily criticized by fans on social media for... not passing the ball to Ronaldo. Even the 1985-born striker's family members have added fuel to the fire with controversial comments.

Ruben Dias once again spoke out to reassure fans:The criticism means nothing to the Portuguese team; the discussions are part of the tournament. It's all just talk about the team. That always happens if they have a bad game, and the Portuguese team is avoiding such criticism.".

In the match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Portuguese team had a disappointing performance, managing only 7 shots throughout the entire game, with only one shot on target, which was Joao Neves' goal. Portugal struggled against their African opponents. Ronaldo was disappointing, and the defense of the team from the Iberian Peninsula lacked focus and frequently made mistakes.

Ruben Dias is out due to injury but he could return for the clash against Uzbekistan – a match Portugal must win.

"I regularly play at club level with a five-defender formation, so I understand the tactical requirements. Respecting tactical discipline and positional discipline on the field is crucial in the match against Uzbekistan. I believe Portugal has players of sufficient quality, and by adhering to tactical instructions and making the right decisions, we can make a difference.", Ruben Dias said.