Portugal winger Francisco Conceicao said on June 21 that there is no pressure or obligation among teammates to pass the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2026 World Cup.
"We don’t feel the need to pass him the ball. I pass it to whoever I think is in the best position and unmarked," Conceicao said at a press conference [1]. He described Ronaldo, 41, as "an example because of his career and the hunger he still possesses... an example of leadership and the goals he scores," adding that "he is here to help, just like any other player" [2, 3].
Portugal played to a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening Group K match on June 21. The match was criticized for lackluster attacking creativity and poor finishing despite Portugal's dominance in possession and passing [1, 4, 5].
Portugal completed 783 passes during the game, second only to Spain’s 800 in the opening round, and held 75% possession, but managed only seven shots with a single shot on target [1, 2, 4, 5]. Ronaldo had only 25 touches, his lowest in a full game at a major tournament for Portugal, reflecting limited involvement [6].
Former France striker Thierry Henry criticized Ronaldo’s performance after the draw, accusing the star forward of selfishness. Henry said, "The team needs to score, not you need to score" [6].
Portugal manager Roberto Martínez expressed hope for a more ruthless showing in their next match [2, 5]. Portugal will face Uzbekistan on June 23 in Houston, seeking their first win. Uzbekistan lost 3-1 to Colombia in their World Cup debut, marked by nervous caution [2, 5].
