Francisco Conceição: No one is forced to pass to Ronaldo in the Portugal national team

Francisco Conceição, winger for the Portugal national team and Juventus, shared his views on the internal atmosphere and the discussions surrounding legendary forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The player emphasized that the team members are not dependent on a single star on the pitch and make decisions based on the situation during the game. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

At a press conference held ahead of the next important World Cup match, Conceição acknowledged Ronaldo's importance to the team but stressed that he is on equal footing with other players. According to Goal.com, the winger stated clearly that there is no obligation in the team to deliver the ball only to Ronaldo.

Team play and leadership

"I think no one equals Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of scoring goals. However, we do not feel forced to pass the ball to him. I always pass to the teammate in the best position. He is here to help the team just like any other player," said Francisco Conceição.

He also noted that the 39-year-old forward's enthusiasm in training is an example for the youth. Ronaldo's approach to every training session as if it were the last game of his career is positively impacting the team's overall motivation. In Conceição's opinion, if a legend who has achieved so much still acts with such hunger, other players must work even harder.

Criticism and upcoming opponents

The Portugal national team came under criticism after a 1-1 draw in the first round match against DR Congo. In that match, Ronaldo touched the ball only 25 times, which sparked various debates among the public regarding his current form. PSG midfielder Joao Neves had previously stated that Cristiano is now just an ordinary member of the team.

Now, Roberto Martinez's pupils will face the Uzbekistan national team in the second round of the group stage. This match is of decisive importance for the Portuguese in securing a playoff spot. After the unsuccessful start against Congo, the team aims to show its true strength to its fans.

Portugal's final group match will be against Colombia on June 28. For now, the team has focused all its attention on the match against Uzbekistan and plans to win through team football without changing its style.