Ferdinand tells Ronaldo doubters to shut up completely

Portugal v Uzbekistan: Group K - FIFA World Cup 2026

Rio Ferdinand has furiously defended Cristiano Ronaldo following his impressive two-goal performance for Portugal against Uzbekistan at the World Cup. The former Manchester United defender took to social media to emphatically silence Ronaldo's critics, praising his remarkable longevity, historic scoring records, and unmatched ability to consistently deliver on football's biggest stage.

Ferdinand defends Ronaldo after World Cup heroics

Ferdinand has never hidden his admiration for his former team-mate, and on Tuesday, the ex-defender could no longer hold back. Ferdinand took to social media to celebrate Ronaldo after he scored a brace against Uzbekistan to secure a vital win.

Reacting to the opening goal, Ferdinand simply tweeted: "VIVA RONALDO!" When Nuno Mendes scored later in the game, Ferdinand used irony to target those who claim Ronaldo is selfish, posting: "But Cristiano is not a team player."

As Ronaldo netted his second goal of the match, Ferdinand followed up with a brief but telling message accompanied by laughing emojis: "And another one!"

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Shutting down the doubters

Following his initial posts, Ferdinand uploaded a video directly addressing the relentless criticism Ronaldo faces. Defending the Portugal captain, Ferdinand said: "Cristiano! My god, this is what he does! Seriously: Cristiano Ronaldo has already left his mark on this World Cup. And you know what? For all the doubters... How can you doubt a man who is on his way to 1,000 goals? Most World Cup goals by a Portuguese player: he has just surpassed Eusebio, the great Eusebio. The only living man to score in six World Cups. To say that this guy is completely finished, that he shouldn't play, that he is hurting the team, etc... There are not many centre-forwards on the planet who move like that."

Ferdinand compares Ronaldo to Haaland

Ferdinand continued his passionate defence by analysing Ronaldo's exceptional movement and finishing skills during the game. Ferdinand added: "The timing, the right moment to make a run and then finish like that. And then the second goal: a 41-year-old running behind a centre-back, a young centre-back, in a World Cup, to finish like Haaland. The great Haaland. Let's enjoy these players. Let's not criticise them, let's enjoy them! And I love seeing this." Concluding his impassioned video with a direct message to those who constantly scrutinise Ronaldo's place in the national team, Ferdinand laughed and exclaimed: "And you know what? For the haters that... they are out there: shut up!"

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Decisive group finale against Colombia awaits

Ronaldo and Portugal will now turn their attention to a decisive final group match against Colombia. With Colombia currently sitting top on six points, Portugal, who have four points following their opening draw with DR Congo, must secure a victory to guarantee first place. Ronaldo will aim to continue his historic scoring streak to guide his nation into the knockout stages as group winners.