Martinez backs Ronaldo’s position in Portugal’s squad. For Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo has made 198 appearances. Roberto Martinez, the manager of Portugal, has explained why he instantly put Cristiano Ronaldo back in the starting lineup for the national team.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s prominence in the Portugal team diminished. Before the Selecao were defeated by Morocco in the quarterfinals, then-manager Fernando Santos benched the forward for the team’s knockout games.
Ronaldo was on Martinez’s agenda when he took over as Portugal’s new manager in January. In the team’s subsequent 2024 UEFA European Champions qualifying matches against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg in March, the manager put the superstar back in the starting lineup.
In return for Martinez’s confidence, Ronaldo led the Selecao to victories over Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, respectively, by scores of 4-0 and 6-0. In each of those games, he notched two goals, bringing his total in international football to 122.
Martinez has now explained his decision to instantly reintroduce Ronaldo to Portugal’s starting lineup. The Spaniard claimed that his decision was influenced by the forward’s skill, contributions, and dedication.
“I don’t think choices should be made in an office. Making decisions based solely on our opinions is inappropriate.”
Martinez was quoted by the Portuguese publication SAPO Desporto as saying, “When I first joined the national team, I was given a list of all the players, what they did, and their dedication.”
Martinez emphasized how Ronaldo has put forth a lot of effort for Portugal over the past 20 years. The superstar of Al-Nassr has appeared in 198 more games than any other player in international football, he continued.
Martinez added: “As a coach, I must respect each player for the actions they have taken in the past. Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in football history to have played in nearly 200 international matches and has dedicated 20 years of his career to the national team. The greatest power I possess is that of neutrality. The choice must be made by football, not by me. And I carried it out.”
The Portugal coach continued by praising Ronaldo’s leadership and dedication to the group.
The Spaniard said, “Cristiano Ronaldo is a fantastic captain, totally committed to the team, and on the pitch, scored four goals (during the most recent international break)”.
On June 18 and 21, respectively, the Selecao will play qualifiers for the European Championship against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iceland.
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