Ruben Dias: Hype around Cristiano Ronaldo is nothing new for us

Portugal defender Ruben Dias has responded to the criticism surrounding captain Cristiano Ronaldo following a disappointing start to the World Cup. The Manchester City center-back emphasized that external pressure and media hype cannot distract the team from their overall goal. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

In their opening Group K match, Portugal played against DR Congo and settled for a 1:1 draw. After taking an early lead through a goal by Joao Neves, the Portuguese conceded an equalizer by Yoane Wissa just before the end of the first half. This result sparked sharp reactions from fans and former players.

Captain in the crosshairs

It is no coincidence that the main brunt of the criticism was directed at 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo. The experienced forward failed to stand out with his efficiency in this match, extending his goal drought in World Cups to 10 games. Nevertheless, Ruben Dias defended the captain.

"The criticism isn't directed at just one player. Cris is the center of attention, but at this stage, everyone is under scrutiny. I don't see anything unusual here; it's been like this since I joined the national team and it will continue. This is nothing new for us," Ruben Dias noted.

According to the defender, various speculations and discussions on social media do not affect the players' internal atmosphere. The team is united around a single goal — the dream of the championship — and is trying to ignore external factors.

Discipline and tactical errors

Analyzing the match, the Manchester City star admitted that Portugal lost discipline during the game. In his opinion, after the early goal, the team became complacent, which gave the opponent the opportunity to showcase their game.

"We started the game well; you could feel great energy in those moments. However, we later relaxed and lost discipline. This made us less effective and we failed to instill fear in the opponent. The game fell into a strange dynamic. We are well aware of this and look to the future only positively," the defender added.

It is worth noting that in this match, Cristiano Ronaldo set a record as the oldest outfield player to start a game in World Cup history. Portugal is now expected to fight seriously in the upcoming rounds to restore its position and secure qualification from the group.