Ricardo Quaresma has suggested that placing too much pressure on Cristiano Ronaldo was a key factor behind Portugal's group-stage exit in Brazil.

Ronaldo struggled for fitness throughout Portugal's campaign, and his form seemed to suffer as a result, but Quaresma believes that it is unfair to put any blame on the Real Madrid forward.

"We cannot just put pressure on Cristiano – he does not play alone. I think we Portuguese put too much pressure on just one player," the Porto winger told TVI.

"The team is not just Cristiano. No player in the world can solve a game if you do not have colleagues behind him.

"I think that we Portuguese have failed because we put too much pressure on one player only."

Ronaldo missed out on playing at the World Cup after being cut from Paulo Bento's provisional squad for the tournament.