Danilo: 'Portugal does not play to serve Ronaldo'
"Ronaldo is the key star. We will try to corner the ball and help Ronaldo score. He wants the same from the whole team. So the fact that people think the Portuguese team revolves around, serving Ronaldo is the It's normal, but it's not. We play to win," Danilo said on FIFA's homepage on November 14.
After reporting illness and missing the match against Fulham in the 16th round of the Premier League on November 13, Ronaldo attended a 90-minute interview on the program Piers Morgan Uncensored. Here, the 37-year-old striker publicly accused Man Utd of treason, admitted he did not respect the current coach Erik ten Hag, criticized his predecessor coach Ralf Rangnick and former teammate Wayne Rooney.
A day later, Ronaldo joined the Portuguese team and practiced for the first time at the Cidade do Futebol stadium complex, Lisbon to prepare for the 2022 World Cup, the tournament kicking off in Qatar on November 20. "Absolutely focus on the work of the national team. Let's unite to realize the dream of all Portuguese people," Ronaldo posted a photo during the training session on social networks and wrote.
According to Danilo, it is normal for Ronaldo to create controversy and attract media attention. "There will always be criticism because of Ronaldo's merits," said the 31-year-old defender. "Ronaldo is always mentioned every day. If Ronaldo plays badly, people will talk. If he plays well, everyone will talk."
No longer being used at Man Utd, Ronaldo still retains his official position on the Portuguese team, starting the last two matches against Spain and the Czech Republic in the Nations League at the end of September. Ronaldo scored 117 goals in 191 matches, Currently holds two records as the player with the most goals and the most appearances in the Portuguese national team.
Qatar 2022 is Ronaldo's fifth consecutive World Cup, thereby equaling the record of Antonio Carbajal (Mexico), Lothar Matthaus (Germany), Rafael Marquez (Mexico), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy) and Lionel Messi (Argentina). He scored seven goals in 17 World Cup matches, including a hat-trick in a draw with Spain in the 2018 group stage.
Danilo was born in Guinea-Bissau, but chose to play for Portugal, where he lived with his mother and started his football career. The defender played all seven games and contributed a goal in the semi-final win over France 2-0, as Portugal U20 won the 2011 U20 World Cup runners-up in Colombia.
Danilo made his debut for the national team in March 2015 but missed the 2018 World Cup in Russia due to injury. Therefore, Qatar 2022 will be the first World Cup of the 31-year-old defender. "Missing the 2018 World Cup was a difficult time, but at the same time a learning experience. Playing in the World Cup has been a dream since I was a kid, and now I will take it with both hands." PSG player emphasized.
At club level, Danilo in turn played for Parma, Aris, Roda, Maritimo, Porto and then landed at PSG in 2020. This season, he has 17 appearances in all competitions, including 11 in Ligue 1, in the Champions League and in the Champions League. one at the French Super Cup.
