Barcelona and Spain star Gavi has offered a staunch defense of Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting that those who choose to write off the legendary forward are doing so from a purely outside perspective.
Gavi’s comments come as Spain prepare for a heavyweight World Cup 2026 round-of-16 showdown against Portugal, with the midfielder emphasizing that “The Don” should never be underestimated.
“I always hear that, but from people who are not on his team, from fans,” Gavi said when asked about the recent criticism surrounding Ronaldo. “Those who are on his team will have magnificent respect for him.”
He added: “Obviously, Cristiano is one of the best players in history, and he can make the difference at any moment.”
Turning his attention to the highly anticipated Iberian Derby between Spain and Portugal, the 21-year-old midfielder explained: “It’s clear that they are the strongest opponent we’ve faced so far. They’re a great national team with good players. I hope the team is focused on what we have to do, on the coach’s plan, and that we all go together to win this tie.”
“They have a great midfield, but we also have very good players. I think the best thing we have is such a large squad with good footballers,” Gavi concluded.
Ronaldo’s World Cup Campaign
It is worth noting that the Al-Nassr frontman has scored 3 goals in the tournament so far. He netted a brace against Uzbekistan before scoring his first-ever World Cup knockout stage goal with a penalty against Croatia in the round of 32.
