Ronaldo scores and seeks celebration with United defender; reason revealed! Fan No.1 of all time, loves his captain more than his wife

In Portugal's 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, Ronaldo netted a brace, then sprinted to the sideline to celebrate passionately with Dalot, who had been waiting. This was expected, because when Ronaldo faced intense backlash days prior, Dalot was the sole teammate to stand up for him.

In the World Cup opener, Portugal drew 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of Congo, a disappointing result. After the match, critics immediately targeted Ronaldo, including relatives of several Portuguese internationals. Dalot stepped up, insisting the team's support for their captain remained unwavering.

"It's simple. Before the World Cup started, in our home locker room, we had a deep discussion about social media and criticism," Dalot explained. "It was almost as if we anticipated this would happen. Of course, when you have a team like this, especially with a player like Cristiano, we must be more prepared than usual."

Dalot added: "We had that talk before the World Cup to prepare for these moments. So when the issue actually came, we could convey a message of team unity: We were mentally ready, knowing we'd face difficulties and criticism. Sometimes it's unfair, sometimes untrue, and often exaggerated."

The Manchester United full-back confidently told the media that the 41-year-old Ronaldo, having weathered storms over 20 years with the national team, responds to greater doubts with stronger comebacks. "Everyone knows how well Cristiano handles criticism, with over 20 years of international experience," Dalot continued. "I think the confidence he brings to the team, and the fact that criticism is just part of the game—especially given our level and that we're competing in one of the biggest, if not the biggest, tournaments in the world."

Dalot even predicted Ronaldo's strong performance in advance. "The confidence he gives us, and our confidence in him, has always been the same and always will be. As long as he plays for the national team, I think he'll always have that ability and always be ready to decide the outcome."

So although Dalot hasn't played yet in the World Cup, his encouragement to Ronaldo is significant. Besides training together after the goal, Ronaldo swapped jerseys with Dalot post-match—a rare occurrence between teammates. The United defender also posted a photo of Ronaldo smiling while holding the Man of the Match award, captioning it: "Cristiano smiling like a child."

Dalot is nearly 15 years younger than Ronaldo, yet their cross-generational friendship goes way back, possibly starting in 2016 when Dalot, then just 16, met his idol Ronaldo after a Portugal match and they posed for a photo together.

Regarding Ronaldo, Dalot openly calls him his idol and the biggest influence on his life. "He will always be my idol," Dalot said. "For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be like him, following everything he does. He's my biggest idol, and still is."

Dalot was once loaned by Solskjær to AC Milan and had a chance to join permanently, but Ronaldo thought he should stay at United. Dalot recalled: "After returning from loan, I wasn't playing, not as regular as now. The first thing Cristiano said to me was: 'Diogo, I've seen you in the national team, I know what kind of person you are. It's just a matter of time. I'll help you in training and beyond. Do you want to come with me? Let's talk, do everything together, spend some time. I believe things will go the way you want.' That he took time to advise and care for me made me like him even more. And indeed, he had that influence—my career changed dramatically since he became my teammate."

"He is the biggest influence on my career, no doubt," Dalot admitted. "When he returned to United, and I became his teammate, my career took off. Coincidence or not, after he joined, I watched him every day—his mindset, his work ethic. That made me stronger mentally, physically, more focused on my body, my attitude toward others, and every aspect of the game you can imagine, both on and off the pitch."

Though Ronaldo eventually fell out with Ten Hag and left United, his bond with Dalot remained unchanged, close over the years. During the World Cup, fans even joked: "Right now, Dalot loves Ronaldo more than his wife!"