Given: Portugal prepared in advance for criticism due to the presence of Ronaldo

The Portuguese national team faced a wave of criticism after a surprise draw in the match against the Democratic Republic of Congo at the start of the World Cup. However, according to defender Diogu Dalo, even before the start of the tournament, the players of the national team discussed in detail the possible reaction of the public and prepared for informational pressure. Dalo came to the defense of the team and his star partner, explaining that the reaction of social networks did not come as a surprise to them. According to him, the presence of a footballer of the caliber of Cristiano Ronaldo automatically increases the level of expectations and, accordingly, the intensity of criticism. "In the locker room, before coming to the World Cup, we had the opportunity to talk in detail about social media and criticism. It was almost as if we predicted that this would happen. Of course, when you have a squad like this, especially with a player like Cristiano, we have to be a little more prepared than usual," Dalot said. The defender of Manchester United emphasized that it was thanks to this early preparation that the team remained united after the first loss of points in the tournament: "Having that conversation before the World Cup meant that when it actually happened, we were able to get the message across: We knew we were going to face challenges and criticism... Sometimes unfair, sometimes false and often overblown." Already this Tuesday, Portugal will meet the national team of Uzbekistan in a crucial match of Group K. Diogu Dalot expressed absolute confidence that Cristiano Ronaldo will cope with the pressure and help the team to continue the fight for the coveted World Cup. "Everyone already knows how well Cristiano handles criticism. He has over 20 years of experience playing for the national team. That criticism is just part of the game, especially given the level of the biggest competition in the world. The confidence he inspires in us, and we in him, has always been the same and always will be. As long as he represents the national team, I think he will always have that ability and will always be ready to play," Dalo concluded.