Cristiano Ronaldo told he could still be Portugal's 'hero' at Euro 2024 as former team-mate insists it's a good thing the 'whole world is suspicious' of CR7 after dismal Slovenia display

Portuguese defender Pedro Felipe Teodsio Mendes, who had a short spell alongside Ronaldo at Real Madrid, has issued a warning to those doubting the five-time Ballon d'Or winner: write him off at your peril. Ronaldo has faced criticism from all corners for his efforts in Germany, and notably burst into tears after missing a penalty against Slovenia, but Mendes is backing him to come good.

The debate about whether Roberto Martinez should drop Ronaldo rages on. The Portugal boss has been accused of lacking a backbone through his continuous usage of the striker, and the scrutiny will intensify should Ronaldo fire another blank against France on Friday.

Mendes, though, believes Ronaldo's critics will bring out the best in him, claiming the haters "give him life", and that the Selecao's all-time leading goalscorer could still prove to be their hero at the tournament.

"To be a bit ironic, it's actually good that the French, the Portuguese and the whole world are suspicious of Cristiano Ronaldo," Mendes said, per Record. "The more haters he has, the more life they give him and the more he stands out. Who's to say that he won't be able to take advantage of this last less successful performance to join forces and become the hero of the next game, just like he has been on other occasions? It's actually good that this distrust exists, because he could, at any moment, open up and celebrate his first goal in this European Championship."

It sounds as though Mendes is expecting something special from Ronaldo when Portugal take on France in Hamburg on Friday, with a place in the semi-finals of the Euros on the line.