Ruben Dias assures that criticisms of Ronaldo do not affect the national team.

As fierce criticism of Portugal’s performance and, above all, of captain Cristiano Ronaldo has not shaken the confidence of the Portuguese dressing room, assures Rúben Dias. The disappointing draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their World Cup debut left fans and commentators fuming, but the Portuguese center-back guarantees that the team is shielded from the “noise” outside.

On Friday, Rúben Dias publicly addressed the wave of criticism that has fallen upon the national team following the 1-1 draw with Congo, a team that returned to the World Cup after 52 years of absence. Portugal dominated possession, completing 740 passes, but showed a concerning lack of offensive effectiveness, managing only one shot on target. The result and Cristiano Ronaldo’s lackluster performance, who at 41 years old has now gone ten consecutive matches without scoring in major competitions since the 2022 World Cup, fueled incisive criticism, both on social media and in television commentary spaces.

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This draw, for many, represents a cold shower on Portuguese aspirations, fueling doubts about the team’s real capacity to replicate recent achievements. The pressure is mounting on Cristiano Ronaldo, who, despite being the all-time top scorer in international football, seems to be experiencing a finishing crisis at decisive moments. The situation becomes even more tense in light of statements from former French international Thierry Henry, who, in an analysis on Fox, did not hold back in his criticism of the Portuguese captain: “One thing is important: it’s the team that has to score, not you. Ronaldo is preventing teammates in better positions from scoring,” Henry stated, accusing the Portuguese forward of seeking personal glory at the expense of the collective.

In response to the media noise, Rúben Dias was unequivocal at the national team’s training camp: “The criticism is not significant for us, it’s just noise and it’s part of the competition… It’s all just noise,” assured the defender, emphasizing the group’s spirit of unity. “It always happens when you have a game that doesn’t go well. We are shutting ourselves off from unnecessary criticism,” he reinforced, showing indifference to external pressure.

Regarding his captain, the Manchester City centre-back did not hesitate to defend Ronaldo, highlighting the Portuguese star’s history of mental resilience. “Cristiano is used to dealing with the media pressure that we normally face at the club, with the national team, in the World Cups, and the Euros,” Dias stated, adding: “In this type of competition, it’s never perfect… You can only win if we play well game by game.” These words, spoken after Friday’s training session, reflect a dressing room that refuses to point fingers at Ronaldo and prefers to focus on the collective.

Recovered from the injury that kept him out of the starting eleven against Congo, Rúben Dias has declared himself fit for the next group stage challenge, scheduled for Tuesday against Uzbekistan. The defender anticipates similar difficulties to those faced against Congo, as he expects an opponent that is equally defensive and organized. “I have played most of my matches at the club against teams that use a five-man defense, so I have a very clear idea of what is necessary,” analyzed Dias, emphasizing the importance of positional discipline: “Respecting positional discipline becomes crucial in these games. I believe we have players with enough quality that, by respecting our positions and making the right decisions, we can make a difference.”

The immediate future of the Portuguese national team now depends on their response on the pitch. The match against Uzbekistan takes on decisive contours: another slip could complicate qualification and increase scrutiny on Roberto Martínez and his choices. Rúben Dias, by assuring that the group is united and immune to external pressure, sends a warning to navigation: Portugal is ready to bounce back and silence the critics where it matters most — on the pitch.