Portugal’s players are shutting out outside criticism and concentrating on their next challenge after a disappointing start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defender Ruben Dias said following the team’s frustrating draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Portugal came under heavy scrutiny after being held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in its opening Group K match, a result that immediately raised questions about the team’s performance and attacking efficiency.
Despite dominating possession and completing hundreds of passes, Portugal struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. The team managed only one shot on target throughout the match, allowing DR Congo, making its long-awaited return to the World Cup, to frustrate one of Europe’s traditional powers and deny it all three points.
Dias dismissed suggestions that criticism from fans and pundits had affected the squad’s confidence, insisting the players remain focused on their own objectives.
“The criticism is not significant for us. It’s just noise and part of the competition. It’s all just noise,” Dias said, according to Reuters.
The Manchester City defender acknowledged that criticism is inevitable whenever a team fails to perform to expectations but stressed that Portugal has no intention of allowing external opinions to become a distraction.
“That always happens when you have a match that doesn’t go well. We shut ourselves off from unnecessary criticism,” he said.
The disappointing result also reignited debate over captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who again failed to score at a major international tournament. Ronaldo’s goal drought has now stretched to 10 matches dating back to the 2022 World Cup, prompting renewed criticism from several former players and analysts.
Among them was former France striker Thierry Henry, who argued that Ronaldo appeared too focused on scoring himself rather than contributing to the team’s overall attacking play.
“One thing is important: the team needs to score goals, not you,” Henry said in his analysis, adding that some of Ronaldo’s decisions reduced opportunities for his teammates.
Even so, Ronaldo remains Portugal’s most experienced player and is competing in his sixth FIFA World Cup, bringing decades of international experience to Roberto Martinez’s squad.
Dias refused to dwell on the criticism directed at his captain, saying Ronaldo has spent his career dealing with enormous pressure from the media and supporters.
“Cristiano is, of course, used to the media pressure that we normally face at club level, with the national team, at World Cups and European competitions,” Dias said.
The defender also emphasized that success at the World Cup rarely comes through flawless performances from beginning to end, noting that teams must improve with each match if they hope to lift the trophy.
“In a competition like this, it will never be perfect,” Dias said. “This is a tournament that can only be won if you play well from one match to the next.”
Portugal will now seek a stronger performance in its next Group K fixture as it attempts to strengthen its chances of reaching the knockout stage and silence the criticism that followed its underwhelming opening performance.
