Former England player Wayne Rooney praised a tactical approach used by Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo. Rather than criticism, Rooney defended Ronaldo's positioning as clever strategy.
"For most of the match he's in offside, and that's not laziness, that's intelligence," Rooney told BBC Sport. "He forces DR Congo's defense to look for him, and that leaves space for his teammates."
Rooney explained that when the ball is played, Ronaldo can come out of offside position. "It's a really smart move," he said, highlighting how the tactic creates space for others to attack while keeping him positioned to receive passes.
Ronaldo extended his World Cup goalless drought to 10 matches in Group K's opener, but contributed tactically to Portugal's performance despite the draw.
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