Portugal blocking out the ‘noise’ after Cristiano Ronaldo criticism

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleCopa Independent | The 10 greatest World Cup players of all timePortugal's national football squad is dismissing criticism following their lacklustre 1-1 draw against Democratic Republic of Congo in their World Cup opening match. Defender Ruben Dias confirmed that the team, and particularly captain Cristiano Ronaldo, are ignoring the backlash, describing it as mere “noise” and part of the competition. Ronaldo, 41, faced significant scrutiny for extending his major tournament goal drought to 10 games, with former France striker Thierry Henry criticising him for prioritising personal glory over team success. Dias defended Ronaldo, highlighting his experience with media pressure, and stated that the team is “closing ourselves off from unnecessary criticism” to focus on the tournament. Dias, now fit after recovering from injury, is ready for Portugal's second group fixture against Uzbekistan, anticipating a similar defensive strategy and stressing the importance of positional discipline. In fullRuben Dias defends Cristiano Ronaldo as he hits back at Portugal’s World Cup criticsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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