Fans feel Cristiano Ronaldo has silenced his critics.

Football supporters believe a misconception surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo has been dispelled after witnessing his impressive performance against Turkey at Euro 2024.

On Saturday, Portugal secured first place in Group F and secured a spot in the round of 16 with a convincing 3-0 victory over Turkey.

Roberto Martinez’s team appeared unconvincing in their narrow 2-1 win against Czechia in their first group match, but their performance in Dortmund highlighted why they are considered strong contenders in the tournament.

Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva opened the scoring after 20 minutes with a powerful finish from inside the box, followed by Turkey conceding an unfortunate own goal.

Before the tournament, there was speculation about Ronaldo’s starting role for Portugal. However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been included in the starting lineup for both matches so far.

The 39-year-old made minimal impact against Czechia, but he played a pivotal role against Turkey, providing a selfless assist to Bruno Fernandes for Portugal’s third goal.

Ronaldo’s role has evolved beyond being solely a goal-scoring threаt; he now demonstrates a greater understanding of assisting teammates, evident in his movements on the field. In some instances during the match, Ronaldo, playing as a center forward, drifted wide to receive the ball, provided crosses, held up play, and drew defenders away, creating space for teammates to exploit in the penalty area.

Although Ronaldo has scored 895 senior goals for club and country, he chose to pass rather than shoot in a one-on-one situation, setting up Fernandes for an easy tap-in. This unselfish play contrasts with Ronaldo’s historical reputation as a selfish attacker, which fans believe was disproven by his performance.

One fan expressed on social media: “Did I see that correctly? Cristiano not taking the shot himself,” while another noted: “Even the commentator was surprised when he passed.”

Another supporter praised Ronaldo’s team-first mentality, stating, “Putting the team first! That’s why he’s the best in the world,” with another adding, “And they sаy he’s selfish…”

With Portugal already securing the top spot in their group, Ronaldo might be rested for their final group match against Georgia on Wednesday.