Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has defended Cristiano Ronaldo following criticism of the veteran forward’s performance in Portugal’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by Democratic Republic of the Congo, with Joao Neves opening the scoring before Yoane Wissa netted a late equaliser.
Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes but struggled to make a significant impact in attack, leading some observers to question whether the 41-year-old should continue as a starter for Portugal in the tournament.
The Al Nassr FC forward carried the ball 49.4 metres during the match, lost possession three times and registered three shots, none of which were on target.
Despite the criticism, Martinez firmly rejected suggestions that Ronaldo should have been substituted during the game.
“It made no sense at all to take off Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the best goal scorer in history, off the field when we were looking for goals.”
The Portuguese coach argued that his side’s attacking problems stemmed from tactical issues rather than Ronaldo’s presence on the pitch.
“We gave Congo the opportunity to reorganise their defensive structure and set up their counterattacks, and we lost a lot of depth.”
“That helped Congo. We stopped taking risks, we stopped looking for space, we stopped reaching the final third. Now we evaluate it and improve for the second match.”
Portugal will now look to bounce back in their next Group-stage fixture as they seek to strengthen their position in the race for a place in the knockout rounds. Martinez will hope his side can rediscover their attacking rhythm while Ronaldo aims to make a greater impact as the tournament progresses. Continue to More Sports.
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