By Adegboyega Adeleye
Portugal have insisted they are shutting out the growing criticism surrounding the team and captain Cristiano Ronaldo after their disappointing start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Reuters, defender Ruben Dias said the squad was treating the backlash following their 1-1 draw against Democratic Republic of Congo as “noise” as they prepare for their second Group K match against Uzbekistan.
The European giants were held by DR Congo in their opening game despite dominating possession and completing 740 passes, with the result triggering questions about their attacking display and Ronaldo’s influence.
Ronaldo, competing at a record sixth World Cup, came under particular scrutiny after extending his wait for a goal at major tournaments, with criticism also coming from former France striker Thierry Henry, who questioned whether the Portugal captain’s individual ambitions were affecting the team’s attacking play.
“One thing that’s important: the team needs to score, not you need to score,” Henry said in his analysis on Fox, adding that Ronaldo was getting in the way of teammates in a better position to score.
However, Dias rejected suggestions that the outside noise was affecting the squad.
“The criticism is not significant for us, it’s noise and part of the competition … It’s all noise,” Dias told reporters at Portugal’s training camp.
“It always happens if you have a match that doesn’t go well. We’re closing ourselves off from unnecessary criticism.”
The Manchester City defender also backed Ronaldo, saying the veteran forward was accustomed to dealing with pressure at the highest level.
“Cristiano, of course, is used to dealing with the media pressure we usually face in the club, the national team, world tournaments, European competitions,” Dias said.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo remains one of the biggest storylines of the tournament after joining Lionel Messi as the only players to feature at six World Cups.
But Portugal know they must improve quickly after their slow start if they are to meet expectations as one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Dias, who missed the opening match while recovering from injury, declared himself ready for the Uzbekistan encounter and warned that Portugal could face another defensive approach similar to DR Congo’s.
“I come from playing most of my club matches against teams that use a back five, so I have a very clear idea about it,” he said.
“Respecting positional discipline becomes decisive in matches like these.
“I believe we have players with enough quality that, by respecting our positions and making the right decisions, we can make the difference.”
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