Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar 'don't need to prove anything to anyone' amid World Cup criticism, insists Portugal's Joao Cancelo

Defending football icons

Cancelo says neither Ronaldo nor Neymar deserve the harsh criticism they are facing at this

"I don't think Neymar or Cristiano need to prove anything to anyone," Cancelo stated. "Their talent and what they've achieved in football speak for themselves. All that talk is just for show. Both Cristiano and Neymar know who they are and what they represent for their countries."

Unmatched international records

Ronaldo and Neymar have consistently delivered for their respective nations over the years. Ronaldo recently joined Lionel Messi as the only players to have competed in six different World Cup tournaments. Furthermore, Ronaldo remains the men's all-time leading international scorer, having netted 143 goals since his debut in 2003.

On the other hand,

Hendry ready for Brazil test

Meanwhile, Jack Hendry says he has no fear about facing Neymar when Scotland play Brazil on Wednesday. Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Neymar is fit to return in Miami. Hendry previously played against Neymar in the Champions League and Saudi Arabia. Speaking at the training base for Scotland, Hendry noted: "Yeah, no problem. Obviously, he was out in the league I was in. I'm quite comfortable coming up against Neymar and I look forward to it, it really should be a good battle. I played against him in the Champions League... Obviously the front three at that time were Messi, Mbappe and Neymar. You learn a lot from these moments."

Crucial group stage finales await

Portugal face Uzbekistan on Tuesday before playing Colombia in their final group stage match. Meanwhile, Brazil will take on Scotland on Wednesday to conclude Group C. Both nations desperately require victories in these upcoming games to secure the top spot in their respective groups and ensure a favorable path into the tournament's knockout rounds.