Sensitivity and Poor Judgment in the National Team

Portugal's draw against DR Congo in their World Cup opener, a match where goal-scoring opportunities were scarce and their sole shot on target fortunately found the net, immediately sparked criticism. This wasn't just from Portuguese fans; the national team's lackluster performance, particularly Cristiano Ronaldo's ineffectiveness, became a global talking point.

The criticism wasn't solely directed at Portugal. Brazil and Spain, who also drew against theoretically weaker (and coincidentally, African) opponents in their opening matches, faced similar scrutiny. Gavi even remarked, "If we had won, not as many people would be talking. (...) But, for example, Portugal drew with DR Congo and didn't receive half the criticism we did." This sentiment could easily have come from Rúben Dias, Diogo Dalot, or Francisco Conceição regarding Spain, as everyone tends to focus on their own backyard and overlook the rest.

While national team players at press conferences insist the dressing room is united and the team is focused on delivering on the pitch against Uzbekistan, their reactions to criticism reveal a sensitivity (and lack of judgment) that contradicts their public statements.

I understand they might feel unfairly targeted by some comments, and the whole "beach" narrative is utterly ridiculous. Suggesting that a few dips in the ocean will hinder Portugal's performance, or that after a season stretching over 11 months for some, they should be doing two training sessions a day, is nothing but football populism.

However, the criticism wasn't just about that. In fact, it wasn't primarily about that. It focused on the quality of the national team's play, or lack thereof, and the worrying truth is that this problem isn't new. (Excluding the qualifying matches against Armenia, which ended 14-1 on aggregate, what decent game has Portugal played this season?)

The debate surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo is justified, even if one disagrees with the arguments. While the captain might not be solely to blame, the fact remains that he has now gone 10 consecutive matches in major tournament finals without scoring.

Reacting to these criticisms—or in some cases, merely doubts or discussions—by accusing journalists or claiming that some people don't want Portugal to win, strikes me as a sign of overly thin skin for a World Cup in the heat of the USA. Perhaps they need to order more sunscreen.