Francisco Conceição has pushed back against the notion that Portugal's players feel any obligation to seek out Cristiano Ronaldo during matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Portugal winger addressed the topic on Sunday, making clear that the team's approach is built on collective decision-making rather than any individual duty to find Ronaldo in dangerous areas of the pitch.

Conceição's comments come as Portugal navigate the tournament, with Ronaldo's role and influence continuing to attract attention from pundits and journalists alike. Questions over how much the squad defers to their all-time leading scorer have followed the team throughout the competition.

By speaking out, Conceição signalled that Portugal's players are free to make the choices they consider best for the team — and that feeding Ronaldo is one option among many, not a standing instruction.