2026 FIFA World Cup: Michael Owen warns Cristiano Ronaldo's critics

Former England striker Michael Owen has launched a passionate defence of Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo in his latest Daily Mail column, amid the wave of media criticism directed at the 41-year-old following Portugal's frustrating 1-1 opening draw against DR Congo.

 The veteran Portuguese captain failed to make a significant impact during the Group K encounter, drawing scrutiny. However, Owen described the five-time Ballon d'Or winner as a proven big-game performer, stating: 

"It did not help Cristiano Ronaldo that Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick the night before Portugal played, but I’m not having the criticism of him."  

Expanding on his strong defence, Owen argued that the backlash is largely unjustified and that manager Roberto Martinez must fully accept the trade-offs of deploying the prolific goalscorer on the pitch. 

"But hasn’t he always played like this, to a degree? He has never been a player, especially in recent years, who involves himself in the game," Owen wrote, 

"He will be there for the big moments, though. If he’s not scoring, it’s too easy to blame Ronaldo. At 41, he is going to be questioned.

"But how many times has this happened, and he’s shut everyone up in the next game? If you’re picking Ronaldo, then you have to accept what he is there for - and I wouldn’t be surprised if he responds with a hat-trick of his own against Uzbekistan."