Portugal coach Roberto Martinez refuses to confirm whether cristiano ronaldo Will retain his starting spot for Tuesday’s game fifa world cup The superstar struggled in his team’s first game against Uzbekistan.“I can’t tell you about the starting 11 because I haven’t informed my players yet,” Martinez said on Monday when asked whether Ronaldo would remain in the lineup.The 41-year-old forward failed to score in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with Congo, a game in which he had a limited impact and missed several key chances in the second half. His performance quickly became a talking point, with TV pundits and social media users questioning his finishing and why he was not substituted as Portugal looked for a breakthrough.
Martinez defends team amid ‘noise and tension’
However, Martinez dismissed suggestions that external criticism was affecting the squad, insisting such pressure was part of the World Cup environment.“We’re playing in the World Cup, so of course we have a lot of noise and nerves, 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 game. We are very focused. We are strong. The team is more united than before.”While not targeting Ronaldo directly, the Portuguese coach also dismissed the strong personal criticism.“Some of the criticism is ‘unfair and unjust’,” he added.Ronaldo, who did not speak to reporters after the game, later posted on social media: “This is not the start we wanted, but it is far from over. Keep your head up and focus on the next game.” He later posted a picture from training with the caption: “Focus on the mission.”
Ronaldo’s role under scrutiny ahead of key clash
Despite touching the ball only 25 times in the opening game, Ronaldo remains at the center of Portugal’s tactical discussions. Martinez insists the experienced striker still brings decisive value in the final third.“Cristiano is the best person to do this,” he said. “The data proves that with Cristiano Ronaldo, an iconic player. If you look at the last 32 games, he is a player who makes extra runs, opens up spaces and finds pockets.”Meanwhile, Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro has warned against underestimating the Portugal captain despite his shaky start.“We need to be careful when we are in the penalty area because we cannot leave this type of player alone,” Cannavaro said. “We need to be very focused on him because Cristiano can score goals in any situation, free kicks, even corner kicks. So we need to be very careful.”
