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The Paris Saint-Germain star has faced verbal abuse from Don fans
Portugal midfielder Joao Neves’ statements have sparked controversy in recent hours among global soccer fans and fans of Cristiano Ronaldo, while the Mariners captain sent a message of unity.
On Friday night, Ronaldo posted a photo of himself with a number of Portugal players, accompanied by the phrase “Always united”, which many saw as an implicit response to the controversy that has arisen since Neves’ announcements about his role in the national team.
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The Paris Saint-Germain star, who scored in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, made the comments when asked how the national team would handle having a star like Ronaldo alongside a large group of outstanding players.
“We all know what Cristiano has done for our national team and for football, but I feel at the moment, both for him and for all of us, that he is one of us, an additional player who helps the team and is no different from the others.”
He added: “He’s here to contribute like everybody else. He played very well and the whole team had a great match.”
Mass attack
Although Neves began his speech by praising Ronaldo’s performance, parts of his remarks drew widespread criticism from some of the Portugal captain’s fans, who felt that describing him as an “extra player” diminished his status and influence in the team.
Neves has faced a wave of attacks on social media platforms as many of Ronaldo’s fans have come to the veteran player’s defence, stressing that his influence goes beyond what he provides on the pitch, whether at a technical or leadership level.
On the other hand, others saw Neves’ comments as being taken out of context, noting that the player was talking about the community spirit within the Portugal national team, while at the same time emphasizing the historical value of the Don.
