No pressure to pass to Ronaldo, says Conceição

Portugal winger Francisco Conceição has said his team-mates do not feel under pressure to pass to Cristiano Ronaldo, following scrutiny of the veteran striker’s role after their opening World Cup match.

Critics have questioned whether the 41-year-old Ronaldo’s limited mobility is affecting Portugal’s attacking fluency after a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Conceição said there was no expectation within the squad to favour Ronaldo with passes when other players were in better positions. “We don’t feel the need to pass him the ball,” he said. “I pass it to whoever I think is in the best position and unmarked.”

He added that Ronaldo is treated as “just another member of the squad”, while still highlighting his importance. The Juventus forward described him as part of a collective effort. “Cristiano is an example because of his career and the hunger he still possesses at 41 years of age… An example of leadership and the goals he scores,” he said at a press conference.

“There is no one like him when it comes to scoring goals… He is here to help, just like any other player.”

Portugal face Uzbekistan in their second Group K match in Houston on Tuesday and will be aiming for a win after their disappointing start.

“No one takes it harder than we do. We felt firsthand that we didn’t do our job in the best possible way,” Conceição said.

“If things don’t go well, there will be more pressure and more criticism. We want to show our quality and win the next match.”