Cristiano Ronaldo has received some support from Portugal team-mate Danilo Pereira amid the fall-out from the Manchester United star's controversial tell-all interview with Piers Morgan.
The 37-year-old forward's explosive discussion is set to air on Wednesday and Thursday night, with viewers already aware of the fact he takes aim at everyone from manager Erik ten Hag to club owners the Glazers. Ronaldo also has some choice words for how United are run nowadays and their lack of progression since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure.
As expected, there has been plenty of backlash in response to the multiple trailers for the interview. Many fans and pundits alike are now of the belief that Ronaldo has pulled on the red and white of United for the last time, with no route back after some of his remarks.
The timing of the interviw has also stirred plenty of debate, with Ronaldo under intense scrutiny just before he starts what is almost certainly his last ever World Cup with Portugal.
In turn, the spotlight has also fallen on the rest of his Portugal teammates as all eyes are on their talisman to see how he fares out in Qatar.
Paris Saint-Germain star Pereira was asked about Ronaldo while conducting pre-tournament media duties and offered up his support to the forward in his response, but steered clear of addressing the bombshell interview directly.
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"People criticize Ronaldo because it sells," the 31-year-old explained. "If he plays badly, people will talk. If he plays well, people will talk. We’re used to it. He’s part of our squad and we just want to win.
"It's normal for Cristiano, being the strongest point of the national team, to have more spotlight on him, we're going to pass him more balls, try for him to score goals and he's going to demand that too."
The comments will come as a relief to Ronaldo, especially after rumours and speculation surrounding some rifts in the Portugal dressing room as well as the United one.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner wasn't exactly given the warmest of receptions by some of his international colleagues, with fellow United and Portugal star Bruno Fernandes enduring a particularly frosty exchange with Ronaldo ahead of his arrival for national team training.
In a training session later on, cameras picked up another interesting exchange with Ronaldo and fellow countryman Joao Cancelo. The Manchester City star appeared to forcibly remove Ronaldo's hands from his face after the United star tried to joke around with him.
The interactions have prompted rumours that all is not well in the Portugal camp just before the tournament is set to begin. Their first clash comes against Ghana on November 24.
