Michael Owen Defends Cristiano Ronaldo Against Critics: He Will Still Make His Mark

Following Portugal's unexpected 1:1 draw against DR Congo, team captain Cristiano Ronaldo has once again come under fire. Former England striker Michael Owen expressed his disagreement with the negative opinions surrounding the 41-year-old star and stepped up to defend him. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

While Lionel Messi secured Argentina's victory with a hat-trick against Algeria, Ronaldo's scoreless performance raised questions for many. However, Owen believes it is wrong to blame Ronaldo for being invisible in the overall flow of the game, as he has already changed his role.

Ronaldo's New Role and the Criticism

Writing for the Daily Mail, Michael Owen states: "The fact that Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick a day before the Portugal game worked against Ronaldo, but I do not accept the criticism being leveled at him. In recent years, Cristiano has completely changed his style of play and has become a true 'poacher' inside the penalty area".

The expert noted that fans expect Ronaldo to be active across all areas of the pitch, but his primary task is to score at the decisive moment. "He has never been a player who actively participates in build-up play, especially in the final stage of his career. If he doesn't score, it becomes very easy to blame him," Owen added.

The Match Against Uzbekistan and Expectations

Cristiano Ronaldo is currently on a goal drought of 10 matches in major tournaments. Despite this, Owen is confident that the Portuguese forward will soon demonstrate his "killer" instinct. He believes Ronaldo will make the most of the next opportunity to answer his critics.

According to Goal.com, Portugal's next opponent will be Uzbekistan. Roberto Martinez's side must win this match to improve their situation in Group K. Owen is convinced that Ronaldo will silence everyone by scoring a hat-trick specifically in the game against Uzbekistan.

For the Uzbekistan national team, this match is of historical significance, not only for the group points but also for putting up a worthy fight against a legend of world football. The world's eyes will be on this match on Tuesday to see whether Cristiano Ronaldo will end his scoreless streak.