Adrien Silva: Ronaldo earned Portugal status through work, not special treatment

Former Portugal midfielder Adrien Silva has rejected claims that Cristiano Ronaldo was given preferential treatment in the national-team dressing room, saying his status was built through performances, trophies and commitment.

Silva, speaking in an interview with Kooora due to be published later, said Ronaldo’s confidence and ambition had sometimes been mistaken for arrogance.

“Sometimes, his immense self-confidence is misinterpreted,” said Silva, 37. “Anyone competing at the highest level needs to believe in themselves unconditionally.”

“What some people described as arrogance was simply genuine ambition and the natural frustration of someone who hates losing,” he added.

Silva also denied that Ronaldo received exceptional treatment from Portugal’s coaches or officials.

“Cristiano Ronaldo earned his status on the pitch, through his performances, his achievements and his commitment to his country,” said the former Monaco player.

He said Ronaldo’s influence in the dressing room came primarily from the example he set.

“The secret to making everything work so well in the dressing room was simple: he was always the first to lead by example through his hard work, punctuality and dedication,” Silva said.

“When your captain is the person working the hardest, he naturally earns the admiration of the entire group.”

Portugal face post-Ronaldo challenge

Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football last week, ending a 23-year career with Portugal after a major dispute with manager Jorge Jesus. He followed his long-time rival Lionel Messi, who announced his own international retirement about a month earlier.

Silva believes Portugal cannot immediately replace a player of Ronaldo’s historical influence, but expects the side to remain competitive.

“You cannot replace a personality with Cristiano’s historic influence overnight,” he said. “However, Portugal currently have an exceptional generation of talent, developed through the outstanding work of the clubs and the federation.”

“There is enough quality and maturity to build a strong, united team capable of continuing to compete for the biggest honours on the world stage.”

Asked who could succeed Ronaldo as captain, Silva pointed to Manchester City’s Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.

“Portugal are still in a very strong position,” he said. “Players such as Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva have shown leadership, character and tactical intelligence on football’s biggest stages for several years. There will certainly be no problem.”

Silva won 26 caps between 2014 and 2018 and played alongside Ronaldo in 16 international matches. Together they helped Portugal win Euro 2016, beating hosts France in the final.

The midfielder, who retired from football last year, also played for Sporting CP, Leicester City, Monaco and Sampdoria, as well as United Arab Emirates clubs Al Wahda and Dubai United.