Conceicao on Portugal's Team Atmosphere: Ronaldo is Just Like Any Other Player to Us

Following Portugal's lackluster start to the World Cup in North America and Mexico, which saw them draw 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the search for culprits began. Global media outlets unequivocally pointed fingers at the most experienced player in Robert Martinez's squad.

Lack of movement, almost no shooting opportunities, and a very low number of touches on the ball – these were all criticisms leveled at Cristiano Ronaldo in a match where he and his star teammates from the Iberian Peninsula failed both in terms of result and performance. Ahead of Tuesday's clash against Uzbekistan, Conceicao refuted speculation that the legendary player, known by the acronym CR7, was the sole target for passes in dangerous positions in front of the opponent's goal.

"We don't feel the need to pass him the ball. We pass it to whoever we believe is in the best position and isn't marked at that moment," Conceicao explained. The twenty-three-year-old Juventus Turin forward reiterated that Ronaldo is viewed by his teammates simply as another member of the squad, who, like all other players, yearns for collective success.

"I don't deny that Cristiano is a role model for the rest of us in many ways. He's also an example of a player who, even at an advanced age, is still hungry for footballing success. No one can match him when it comes to scoring goals. He's here with us to help, just like any other player," Conceicao stated.

The Portuguese youngster was just eighteen months old when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first two goals at a major tournament at Euro 2004, ultimately becoming a European Championship runner-up.

Ahead of Tuesday's match in Houston, USA, against World Cup debutants Uzbekistan, the Coimbra native asserts that he and his teammates are well aware of the challenging situation they find themselves in after their opening draw at the 2026 World Cup. Uzbekistan began their inaugural World Cup appearance with a 3-1 loss to Colombia.

"No one takes it harder than us players. We've personally felt the criticism for not performing our job in the best possible way. We realize that was indeed the case. It's absolutely clear that if things aren't going well, we have to expect increasing pressure and criticism. We want to show our quality and win the next match," Conceicao added.