The world football governing body, FIFA, has described Cristiano Ronaldo as a "total genius.

This is following the Portugal international’s smartness in winning Portugal a penalty during their first game in Qatar 2022.

Ronaldo broke the deadlock during Thursday’s World Cup Group H clash after he went down under a challenge from Mohammed Salisu.

Some pundits believe the 37-year-old fell so easily and that the referee should have ignored him or consulted the pitchside monitor.

But at a press conference in Doha, FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) member and former Nigerian and Juventus midfielder, Sunday Oliseh, said strikers are "getting smarter."

“The Ronaldo penalty, people can say what they want about him, but the smartness to wait for that second, to touch the ball, continue his leg and then get the contact. "That is total genius,” he said.

He said that strikers deserve some credit for their smarts and for discovering ways to win matches during difficult times.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger leads the FIFA Technical Study Group.