Former England striker and Ballon d'Or winner Michael Owen has defended Cristiano Ronaldo following criticism of the Portugal captain's performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, İdman.Biz reports.
Ronaldo endured a frustrating start to the tournament, failing to register a shot on target in Portugal's 1-1 draw against DR Congo. However, the 41-year-old responded in style by scoring twice in his side's emphatic 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their second group-stage match.
Owen said he never doubted Ronaldo's ability to bounce back.
"I said it was ridiculous to write Cristiano Ronaldo off after he failed to score in the first match.
In fact, I even said he would go out and score a hat-trick against Uzbekistan. Well, I was wrong - he only scored two!
But we've seen what he's capable of, and we'll see it again. Ronaldo will use the negativity as motivation, and that's good news for Portugal," Owen was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
The former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus forward remains Portugal's captain and continues to play a key role as the 2016 European champions chase World Cup glory. His two goals against Uzbekistan helped Portugal strengthen their position in Group K and reinforced his reputation for responding to criticism on the biggest stage.
