Portugal winger Francisco Conceicao said on Sunday that his teammates felt no pressure to pass the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo, pushing back against criticism of the veteran superstar after a pedestrian start to the FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo has faced scrutiny following Portugal's lacklustre opener, a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Critics have questioned whether the 41-year-old's lack of mobility is hurting Portugal's chances, but Conceicao insisted players are not obliged to feed Ronaldo when others are in better positions.
We don't feel the need to pass him the ball. I pass it to whoever I think is in the best position and unmarked.
Conceicao described Ronaldo as just another member of the squad, saying the team needs every individual for the collective to function.
Cristiano is an example because of his career and the hunger he still possesses at 41 years of age… an example of leadership and the goals he scores. There is no one like him when it comes to scoring goals… He is here to help, just like any other player.
Ronaldo was a peripheral figure up front in the stalemate. His 25 touches were his fewest in a full match at a major tournament for Portugal. The contrast with longtime rival Lionel Messi was stark, with the 38-year-old scoring a hat-trick a day earlier as defending champions Argentina beat Algeria 3-0.
Portugal play Uzbekistan in their second Group K match in Houston on Tuesday, looking for three points to get their campaign moving.
No one takes it harder than we do. We felt firsthand that we didn't do our job in the best possible way. If things don't go well, there will be more pressure and more criticism. We want to show our quality and win the next match.
Former France striker Thierry Henry accused Ronaldo of being selfish after the draw.
The team needs to score, not you need to score.
DR Congo midfielder Ngalayel Mukau was asked whether his side had a plan to contain Ronaldo and offered a blunt assessment.
Not really. We know he's no longer the same player as before and that he's older now. At his age, he can no longer put in the same effort as before, but I have tremendous respect for him.
Coach Roberto Martinez has also drawn fire. Some pundits accused the Spaniard of being afraid to drop the skipper or substitute him. Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton criticized Martinez for keeping Ronaldo on while taking off midfielder Vitinha in the 83rd minute.
That's embarrassing from Martinez. He's scared to take him off. He's not the manager… the game has passed him by today.
Critics say Martinez has alternatives. Goncalo Ramos, the Paris Saint-Germain striker who replaced Vitinha is a ready-made replacement and an out-and-out number nine.
