Michael Owen, former striker for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United, commented on the criticism that has been directed at Cristiano Ronaldo, striker and captain of the Portugal national team. In the first game of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, Portugal drew 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ronaldo was on the field throughout the match, without being able to make a difference in the result.
"Messi's hat-trick the day before the Portugal game doesn't help Cristiano, but I'm not going to criticize him. Portugal didn't perform at their best against the Democratic Republic of Congo, and much of the criticism is related to the fact that Ronaldo was seen as a problem for the team. But hasn't he always played like that, to a certain extent? In recent years, he rarely plays intensely, but appears in the decisive moments. If he doesn't score, it's easy to blame him. He's 41 years old, issues related to age will set in. But that has happened many times and he managed to shut everyone up in the next game. I won't be surprised if he responds with a hat-trick against Uzbekistan," Owen said, according to the Daily Mail.