Portugal defender Rúben Dias has expressed strong support for Cristiano Ronaldo as the national team continues preparations for its second Group K match at the World Cup. His remarks come after Ronaldo faced criticism following Portugal’s 1-1 draw against DR Congo, a match in which the veteran forward became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup game in history.

During the match, he was heavily limited in involvement, recording just 25 touches and failing to register a shot on target, an assist, or a successful dribble. While some observers suggested a more mobile forward could have improved Portugal’s attacking play, Dias defended the veteran striker, who is featuring in his sixth World Cup.

He told reporters, as reported by Xinhua, that Ronaldo is accustomed to intense media scrutiny across club and international football, especially in major tournaments where perfection is rarely possible. Dias emphasized that criticism is not focused on a single player, noting that Ronaldo often attracts attention but responsibility is shared across the team.

He added that such reactions are common after underwhelming performances and described much of the criticism as “noise” that the squad tends to ignore. He further stated that the team is shutting out unnecessary distractions as they move forward in the tournament. Portugal are set to face Uzbekistan on June 23, followed by their final group-stage match against Colombia five days later.

Dias reiterated that the squad remains united behind Ronaldo and is focused on improving collective performance, stressing that external opinions will not affect their preparation or mindset as Portugal continues its World Cup campaign in pursuit of better results in upcoming group matches and potential qualification going forward always.