Carlos Queiroz believes Cristiano Ronaldo's goal drought for Portugal will come to an end sooner rather than later.
Goals will come naturally, says Portugal boss
Boss Carlos Queiroz believes Cristiano Ronaldo's goal drought for Portugal will come to an end sooner rather than later.
Incredibly, the prolific attacker has not netted in a competitive game for his country in two years despite scoring regularly in his club career over that period.
Portugal opened their World Cup campaign with a 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast and the nation's hopes of progression rest heavily on the shoulders of the Real Madrid star.
National coach Queiroz ranks Ronaldo up amongst the best players he has worked with, and he has no doubts the 25-year-old will come good at the finals.
Queiroz said: "I've worked with many great forwards like Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, players who always show that pride and will do what they do best, score goals, but goals from these players end up coming naturally.
"As much as people think they are obsessed or disturbed with the issue, goals end up happening and they carry on scoring," he added, when quizzed on Ronaldo's contribution.
Ronaldo struck the post with a trademark long-range effort against the Ivorians and Queiroz recognises that dead-ball situations are the ideal chance for his side to break their scoring duck in South Africa.
"It's still early. I think at the end of the World Cup you will see 30 or 40 per cent of goals have come from dead balls," said the former Real Madrid boss.
"In our case against the Ivory Coast, we simply didn't get a chance to score from those situations as many illegal tackles were not penalised."
