Pedro Neto has revealed the feeling within the Portugal national team squad after Cristiano Ronaldo opened his 2026 FIFA World Cup account with two goals against Uzbekistan.
An unexpected draw in their opening game of the tournament against DR Congo saw Portugal and Ronaldo come under fire. Ronaldo, in particular, was accused of clogging up Portugal’s attack, with many calling for him to step down.
Thanks for the submission!
The forward, however, silenced his critics against debutants Uzbekistan, scoring twice as Portugal cruised to a 5-0 win. The goals obviously eased the mounting pressure on Ronaldo, with the 41-year-old reminding naysayers that he was back after the game.
Portugal will face Colombia in the final group game and need to defeat the south American side to finish top of their group. Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Neto noted that the squad was happy for Ronaldo after his goals against Uzbekistan but confirmed the widely held notion that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is ‘obsessed’ with scoring goals.
“I think it was obvious that the group was happy for Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s obsessed with goals. We like to see the best doing what he likes to do,” he said.
Regarding their upcoming match, Neto praised Colombia as a ‘strong’ and ‘combative’ side. He said Portugal would have to be at their best on Saturday to snatch the group’s top spot from Nestor Lorenzo’s side.
“They have a good team and were finalists in the Copa América. The key word is resilience, and I would also add hard work. We have been resilient and worked very hard. They are a combative and very strong South American team. We have to match or surpass that,” he added.
Portugal has yet to conquer football’s biggest stage. If they win their group, they will face a third-placed side from either Group D, E, I, J or L. But if they finish second, they will face the runners-up of Group L, which is currently Ghana.
Cristiano Ronaldo looking to win first World Cup title with Portugal
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is Cristiano Ronaldo’s swansong on football’s biggest stage, with the forward confirming before the start of the tournament that it will be his last. While the Al-Nassr man has won almost every available trophy, the FIFA World Cup remains elusive silverware in his illustrious trophy cabinet.
Cristiano Ronaldo made his World Cup debut in 2006 and has helped Portugal qualify for every subsequent edition. However, his best run at the tournament came in 2006, with Portugal reaching the semi-finals.
Although he appeared to backtrack on his desire to win the trophy in an interview last year, his reaction after scoring against Uzbekistan suggests otherwise, and he will be happy to guide his country to glory in north America.
Edited by Ezekiel Olamide
