Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has come out to defend his decision to play Cristiano Ronaldo for the entire 90 minutes during their disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo on Wednesday. The Al Nassr forward failed to inspire the team in their 2026 World Cup campaign opener in Houston, drawing intense criticism from pundits and fans who argued that the veteran striker is holding the national team back.
Despite the backlash, Martinez fiercely protected the 41-year-old, dismissing any talk of substituting his captain when Portugal desperately needed a breakthrough.
“It made no sense at all to take off Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the best goalscorer in history, off the field when we were looking for goals.” says Roberto Martinez
Martinez stands by the world’s ‘best footballer’ ahead of Uzbekistan clash
By keeping Ronaldo on the pitch, Martinez made it clear that history and goalscoring instincts trump current match friction when a game is on the line.
Fans and analysts heavily criticized Ronaldo’s overall movement and performance, claiming his presence disrupted the fluidity of the Portuguese attack. However, Martinez completely rejected these negative assessments, publicly hailing Ronaldo as the best footballer in the world to reinforce his absolute backing of the captain. With the opening draw putting early pressure on the group favorites, Ronaldo will look to silence his critics and find top form when Portugal faces Uzbekistan in their next group fixture.
