Cristiano Ronaldo declared himself fit to spearhead Portugal's World
Cup campaign, but does not feel pressure to reproduce his form at club
level.
Ronaldo has
suffered from knee and thigh injuries, but
said: "I'm at 100%. I want to have a great World Cup."
The 29-year-old dismissed suggestions he must excel in
Brazil to cap a career that has not reached the heights on the
international stage.
"I don't think I have to show anyone anything," he said.
"If we look at my statistics and resume you'll see that."
Ronaldo will captain
Portugal against Germany
in Monday's opening Group G match in Salvador.
He is their all-time leading scorer but has registered
just two goals in 10 World Cup matches, that despite netting 252 in 246
games for Real Madrid.
The forward also has two Champions League titles and twice
won the Ballon D'Or.
"I don't have to demonstrate anything," argued Ronaldo,
who recently scored 11 goals in seven internationals, including a
hat-trick against Sweden that secured his side's qualification. "Not now
or before or after. What I have to do is continue my career which has
been great so far.
Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Sweden that secured Portugal's qualification
"I believe one player is not a team, I'm here in the
national team to help, I'm an additional player, I can make a difference
in some of the games, but I can't carry the whole team on my back.
"I'm just someone who wants to help to become a
champion. We're not the favourite or in the group of favourites, which
is something which is good for us."
Ronaldo took a full part in the 15 minutes of
Portugal's training session that was open to the media inside Arena
Fonte Nova.
There was strapping below his left kneecap, but he appeared to be comfortable and with a full range of movement.
Concern was raised when the former Manchester United
player arrived more than an hour late for his scheduled news conference,
but he quickly dismissed any worries.
"I've been practising now for some days and if I'm doing that
it's because I'm feeling well," he added. "Obviously I would like to not
have any pain but that's impossible.
"Since I've played football there's not been one single
moment when I played a match without any pain whatsoever. That's just
part of it, it's the burden of my work.
"If I'm not ready, if I'm not feeling well, I'm the first to tell the coach I can't play.
"The first thing that is important is the health of the
players. If I feel anything during the match, which I'm sure I won't,
I'll be the first to say, as I know my career will still last a few
years and I'm never going to put at risk my career for one match or for
the World Cup.
"Obviously this is one of the most important championships but I come first, and then football."
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