Fabregas: Ronaldo's goals come from set-pieces, penalties or mistakes

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has come out in defence of his friend Lionel Messi and downplayed Cristiano Ronaldo's start to the World Cup in Russia. 

Ronaldo followed up his hat-trick against Spain with another goal against Morocco but, writing for the BBC, Fabregas says the Portugal forward's goals need to be analysed in greater detail. 

"These days, Cristiano Ronaldo has a very different role for Portugal -- he mainly stays up front and you no longer see him running all over the pitch," the former Barça man said.

"He is one of the big names in Russia who has made a strong start to this World Cup, in terms of goals, with four so far.

"Yes, he is playing well, but if you really look at what he has done, he has scored one penalty, one free kick, one goal from a corner and one with a shot that David De Gea should have saved.

"You cannot say that he and Portugal have shown great combinations or tiki-taka football to score great goals.

"You have to give him credit, of course, but his goals have come from set-pieces, penalties or mistakes."

In contrast to Ronaldo's four goals, Messi is yet to get off the mark as Argentina have drawn with Iceland and lost to Croatia, leaving them needing a win against Nigeria to keep their hopes of making the last 16 alive. 

But Fabregas stuck up for Messi: "It was a similar story for Messi against Croatia, but it was not all his fault. As I said in my TV analysis after Argentina's defeat, they look like a broken team.

"So it is has been really difficult for him. He does not have the quality in behind him, when he needs someone who can help him build up the play."