TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Portugal winger Francisco Conceicao has debunked claims that the team is too reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup. He said that players are not required to always pass the ball to the captain.
These comments emerged after Portugal received criticism following a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the opening match of Group K. "We don't have any obligation or need to pass the ball to him," Conceicao said as quoted by ESPN.
Portugal is now preparing to face Uzbekistan in their second Group K match in Houston early Wednesday, 24 June 2026. The team led by Roberto Martnez needs a victory to maintain their chances of advancing to the next round.
Conceicao acknowledges that Ronaldo remains a special figure due to his goal-scoring ability. However, he asserts that decisions on the field are always determined by the game situation, not by a player's status. "No, I think Cristiano, with his quality for scoring goals, I don't think there's anyone like him in that department," the 23-year-old player said. "And we don't have that obligation, that necessity to pass the ball to him."
He explained that players will pass the ball to a fellow player in the best position at a particular moment. "For example, speaking for myself, I pass the ball to whoever I think is better unmarked at that moment. It's not like I have time to think about who's ... what's the face of the teammate next to me, no," he said.
Nevertheless, Conceicao still sees Ronaldo as a role model for young Portuguese players. Conceicao admires the 41-year-old striker's spirit and motivation. "Cristiano is an example because of what his career has been, because of the hunger he shows every single day," he said. "Now at 41 years old, the hunger he shows in wanting to win every day, super motivated to train as if it were his last training session."
According to him, Ronaldo's attitude serves as inspiration for the new generation of Portuguese players. If the five-time Ballon d'Or winner still has great motivation after achieving so much, other players should have even greater ambitions. "For all of us who are here, it's an example, because if he has already conquered so much and continues with that hunger," he said.
Conceicao also highlights Ronaldo's role as a leader in the dressing room. According to him, the former player of Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus is an important part of the team but still just one of the many players contributing to Portugal. "He's one more in the team who is here to help us, and I think we need all individualities for the collective to work," he said.
Conceicao made his World Cup debut when Portugal tied with DR Congo. Interestingly, this appearance occurred 24 years after his father, Sergio Conceicao, represented Portugal at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
The Juventus player also admitted that he is not disturbed by the pressure that arose after the unsatisfactory result in the first match. "I think all of us are used to pressure. We all play in big clubs and pressure will always exist," he said.
According to Conceicao, players are the first to feel disappointed when they don't perform at their best. "I think there is no one worse than us at that moment when things don't go well. I think it's more about that, because we feel on our own skin that our job wasn't done in the best way in that sense. But the pressure, as I said, I think it's present," he said.
Read: France vs Iraq World Cup 2026: Match Prediction and Lineups
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