Rúben Dias on criticism of the National Team and Cristiano: "I see nothing new"

Rúben Dias addressed the media on Friday, looking ahead to the national team's upcoming World Cup match against Uzbekistan, but first tackled the criticism that followed their draw with DR Congo.

— How do you deal with the criticism directed at the national team and Cristiano?

— The arrows aren't just pointed at one player; Cris is a major focus, but we're all under scrutiny in moments like these. I don't think anything out of the ordinary is happening. It's always been this way whenever I've been here, and it will continue to be, so there's nothing new.

— The World Cup is a showcase for both good and bad, and even former players have voiced criticism...

— I haven't seen much of what's been said. I didn't see much criticism when the results aren't positive, it's natural for it to triple, but that doesn't diminish our confidence. The sooner difficulties arrive, the better. We need to have the capacity to grow; I don't expect perfect scenarios. The most important thing is to stay grounded.

— What's your reaction to the criticism?

— Honestly, all the speculation… that's not an issue. We're all united around a dream; my mind doesn't go there. It appears on social media, but we don't give it importance, and I don't feel it's a topic I need to address.

— What went wrong in the game against DR Congo?

— There are so many analysts now dissecting the game and drawing conclusions about what went wrong, that in some publication, people have already realized what didn't go so well. We scored early and started the game well, and there was an energy at that moment, but we ended up relaxing and losing discipline, which made us less efficient. We couldn't instill the fear we needed to, and the game entered a strange dynamic. We ultimately lost discipline, and we are aware of that internally. I only see positive things from here on out.