Portugal coach Roberto Martínez has refused to confirm whether Cristiano Ronaldo will retain his starting place for Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup clash against Uzbekistan, following the superstar’s subdued performance in the team’s opening match.“I can’t inform you about the starting 11 because I haven’t informed my players,” Martínez said Monday when asked if Ronaldo would remain in the lineup.The 41-year-old forward failed to find the net in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with Congo, a match in which he had limited influence and missed several key chances during the second half. His performance quickly became a talking point, with television pundits and social media users questioning both his finishing and why he was not substituted as Portugal searched for a breakthrough.
Martínez defends squad amid “noise and tension”
Martínez, however, dismissed suggestions that external criticism is affecting the squad, insisting that such pressure is part of the World Cup environment.“We are playing a World Cup so of course we have a lot of noise and tension, but it’s part of the game,” he said. “The focus is on the team and we want to show a positive attitude … to be ready for the match. We are very much focused. We are strong. The team is even more united than before.”While not directly addressing Ronaldo, the Portugal coach also pushed back against the intensity of criticism aimed at individuals.“Some of the criticism is ‘unfair, it’s unjust,’” he added.Ronaldo, who did not speak to reporters after the match, later posted on social media: “It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over. Head up and focus on the next game.” He followed it up with images from training accompanied by the caption: “Focused on the mission.”
Ronaldo’s role under scrutiny ahead of key clash
Despite registering just 25 touches in the opener, Ronaldo remains central to Portugal’s tactical discussion. Martínez insisted the veteran forward still brings decisive value in the final third.“Cristiano is the best one to do that,” he said. “The numbers support this of this iconic player who is Cristiano Ronaldo. If you look at the past 32 games, he is the player that has extra movement, opening spaces and finding pockets.”Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, meanwhile, warned against underestimating the Portuguese captain despite his quiet start.“We need to be careful when we are in the box because we cannot leave this kind of player alone,” Cannavaro said. “We need to be very focused on him because Cristiano can score in every situation, free kicks, even in the corner. So we need to be very careful.”
