Joao Cancelo has firmly come to the defence of his Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil forward Neymar, responding to the intense scrutiny both players have faced during the World Cup. The Portuguese defender emphasised that the two football legends have already established their reputations and do not need to justify their abilities to anyone, despite Ronaldo’s challenging start to the tournament and Neymar’s recent battles with injury.

Standing up for football’s greats

Cancelo insisted that neither Ronaldo nor Neymar deserved the level of criticism directed at them during this World Cup. Addressing reporters, he spoke about the negative spotlight on Ronaldo following Portugal’s 1-1 draw against DR Congo, as well as the debate surrounding Neymar’s selection for Brazil after he missed their first two matches due to a calf injury.

“I don’t think Neymar or Cristiano need to prove anything to anyone,” Cancelo said. “Their talent and their accomplishments in football speak for themselves. All that outside talk is just noise. Both Cristiano and Neymar fully understand who they are and what they mean to their countries.”

Record-breaking international careers

Ronaldo and Neymar have consistently delivered for their national teams throughout their careers. Ronaldo recently joined Lionel Messi as one of only two players to have appeared in six separate World Cup tournaments. He also remains the men’s all-time leading international goal scorer, with 143 goals since making his debut in 2003.

Meanwhile, Neymar stands as Brazil’s all-time top goal scorer, with 79 goals in 128 appearances. However, he has been sidelined since suffering an ACL injury in October 2023, leading some critics to raise doubts about his current fitness. Despite the scepticism, Cancelo maintains that the extraordinary contributions of both Ronaldo and Neymar should earn them unconditional respect from the global football community.

Hendry relishes Brazil challenge

In other news, Scotland defender Jack Hendry has expressed confidence ahead of facing Neymar when Scotland meet Brazil on Wednesday. Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Neymar is fit and ready to return for the match in Miami. Hendry, who has previously faced Neymar in both the Champions League and Saudi Arabia, said at Scotland’s training camp: “Yeah, no problem. He was in the same league I played in. I’m quite comfortable going up against Neymar, and I’m looking forward to it—it should be a great contest. I played against him in the Champions League when the front three were Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar. You learn a lot from those experiences.”

Decisive group stage fixtures ahead

Portugal will next face Uzbekistan on Tuesday before concluding their group stage campaign against Colombia. Brazil, on the other hand, will meet Scotland on Wednesday in their final Group C fixture. Both teams urgently need victories in these matches to finish at the top of their respective groups and secure a smoother route into the knockout stages of the tournament.