Dallas [US], July 5 (ANI): Barcelona star Gavi has backed and praised Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, saying that much of the criticism he hears comes from fans rather than players who have actually shared a dressing room with him.

The FC Barcelona midfielder emphasised that Ronaldo is widely respected within the game, calling him one of the greatest footballers in history and highlighting his ability to influence any match at any moment.

'I always hear that, but from people who are not on his team, from fans. Those who are on his team will have magnificent respect for him. Obviously, Cristiano is one of the best players in history, and he can make the difference at any moment,' the Barcelona midfielder stated as per Goal.com.

Ronaldo will be next seen in action against Spain in his side's FIFA World Cup round of 16 clash. Against Croatia in the round of 32, Ronaldo became the first player in history to feature in a FIFA World Cup knockout match at the age of 41 or older.

The match also marked a unique milestone, as it was the first in World Cup history to feature two outfield players aged 40 or above, with Ronaldo facing former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric.

The appearance also saw Ronaldo extend another record, as he became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days. This was also his first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout goal, removing a massive stain from his illustrious career.

Portugal started off with a dull 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the group stage, with Cristiano failing to make an impact and inviting a lot of criticism with his poor performance.

During the match against Uzbekistan, a 5-0 win, Ronaldo led Portugal's charge with two goals, while Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao also found the net.

Ronaldo's brace saw him become Portugal's all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history, taking his tally to 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio's record of nine. Eusebio, a Portuguese legend and 1965 Ballon d'Or winner, famously guided the team to third place at the 1966 World Cup. Behind Ronaldo and Eusebio, Pauleta is third on Portugal's World Cup scoring list with four goals.

Ronaldo also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, ending his 10-match goalless streak across major competitions (the FIFA World Cup and the Euro Championship). (ANI)