Dias urges Portugal unity after Ronaldo scrutiny follows World Cup opening draw

Rúben Dias has moved to dismiss the wave of criticism directed at Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in Kansas City, insisting the scrutiny surrounding their captain is nothing the squad has not handled before.

João Neves headed Portugal into an early lead, but the European side lost their discipline and allowed Yoane Wissa to equalise just before halftime. The result — Portugal’s opening Group K fixture at the 2026 World Cup — immediately sparked backlash from fans and former players, with much of the frustration aimed at Ronaldo, who extended a ten-game tournament goal drought and became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match at 41.

Speaking to the media ahead of Portugal’s next fixture, Manchester City centre-back Dias was measured in his response. “The criticism isn’t directed at just one player,” he said. “Cris is a major focus, but everyone is under scrutiny at a moment like this. I don’t think anything out of the ordinary is happening; it has been this way ever since I’ve been here, it will continue to be, so it’s nothing new.”

On the social media noise surrounding the squad, Dias was equally unbothered. “Honestly, all the speculation — it’s a non-issue. We’re all united around a dream, and my mind doesn’t wander there. It appears on social media, but we don’t pay attention to it and I don’t feel it’s a topic I need to address.”

Dias was candid, however, about the tactical breakdown that allowed DR Congo back into the match. “We scored early and started the game well, you could feel that energy at that moment, but we ended up relaxing and losing our discipline,” he said. “That made us less efficient, we failed to put the fear into them that we needed to, and the game fell into a strange dynamic. We ultimately lost our discipline, and we are well aware of that among ourselves.”

Despite the stumble, the defender insisted the squad’s confidence remains intact. “I haven’t seen major criticisms, but when results aren’t the most positive, it’s natural for it to triple. However, that doesn’t shake our confidence. The sooner the difficulties arrive, the better.”