Ronaldo Speaks of a Dark Week. His Former Teammate Sends a Message to Haters: Shut Up!

Just days prior, he endured one of the most critical moments of his international career at the World Cup. Following a 1-1 draw against underdogs DR Congo, the Portuguese captain faced a wave of criticism. Several media outlets claimed he appeared out of place on the field, while others questioned his spot in the starting lineup.

German media highlighted that against the African side, he had only 25 touches of the ball, his lowest in a major tournament match he played in its entirety. The Athletic even wrote that “Cristiano Ronaldo appears a sad shadow of the great footballer he once was.”

His response came precisely in the style of a man who has been rewriting football history for over two decades. Against Uzbekistan, he scored twice, Portugal won, and virtually secured their progression to the knockout stage.

When asked if it was the best response to his critics, Ronaldo replied succinctly: “I always do. For 23 years.”

However, after the match, he didn't just talk about himself: “I am very happy, but for me, the most important thing is the work the team did and the confidence we had. We took a lot of hits during the week, but we knew it was coming. The team worked very well, we improved significantly. As they say, sometimes bad things lead to good,” he stated.

Teamwork was one of the most prominent themes of the evening. Some fans and commentators criticized Ronaldo for claiming all set-pieces and demanding teammates pass to him at all costs. Yet, for Nuno Mendes' second goal, he presented a completely different picture.

Portugal earned a direct free-kick from an ideal position, and the stadium expected Ronaldo to step up. Instead, he ceded the spot to a teammate, who scored with a magnificent strike.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand reacted with an ironic message on social media: “But Cristiano isn't a team player.”

After Ronaldo's second goal, the legendary Englishman couldn't contain his emotions. “Cristiano! My God, this is exactly what he does! And seriously now. Cristiano Ronaldo has once again made his mark at this World Cup. And you know what? To all the skeptics out there – how can you doubt a man who is heading towards a thousand goals?” Ferdinand declared.

He continued even more sharply: “To say he's completely finished, that he shouldn't play, that he harms the team... There aren't many strikers on this planet who move in the box like he does. The timing of his runs, his positioning, and his finishing. And that second goal? A 41-year-old guy ran behind a young center-back at the World Cup and finished it like Haaland. Enjoy players like this, don't put them down. And to all the haters, I say: Shut up!”

Portuguese coach Roberto Martínez also felt a great sense of relief after the match. “This is the answer we have in the dressing room. Sometimes we need games like the first one to grow. We saw a team with the same commitment and sacrifice, but with greater maturity. I am very happy because they deserved this result,” said the Spanish coach.

Regarding Ronaldo, he emphasized that goals were only a matter of time. “It was a matter of the moment. Cris's movements in the penalty area are the best a striker can have. Today the ball ended up in the net, but he creates opportunities in every match, and that's the hardest thing.”

Ronaldo himself admitted that the past few days hadn't been easy for him. “It was a tough week, a dark week. It seemed like I was done with football. But I endured, I always endure. Because I believe in hard work more than anything else. It was difficult, I must admit, but we are back.”

The performance against Uzbekistan also had a historical dimension. The Portuguese legend became the first footballer in history to score in six World Cups. He also surpassed the legendary

Eusébio and, with ten goals, became Portugal's all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. At 41 years and 138 days old, Ronaldo also ranked second among the oldest goal scorers at the World Cup. Only Cameroonian icon Roger Milla, who scored at the World Cup at 42 years and 39 days old, remains ahead of him.

And although he is quite a few goals away from the records of Lionel Messi, Miroslav Klose, or Kylian Mbappé, it was clear after Tuesday's match that Ronaldo is not currently concerned with them. “Records are nice to break, but my goal is to help the national team achieve its objectives,” he stressed, adding a sentence that, after Portugal's dominant performance, sounded like a warning to all future opponents. “If we play like this, it will be very difficult to stop us.”