MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Portugal’s coach Roberto Martinez criticized comparisons between Cristiano Ronaldo’s needs and those of Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, calling such comparisons “childish.” He emphasized that Ronaldo is “mentally and physically” equipped to endure the entirety of the team’s World Cup campaign.
In a recent match against Colombia, which ended in a 0-0 draw, Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes, bringing his total playtime during Portugal’s Group K fixtures to all 270 minutes.
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The veteran forward, who previously played for Real Madrid and Manchester United, struggled to pose a threat against the Colombians, who finished at the top of the group, forcing Portugal into second place and setting them up for a round-of-32 matchup against Croatia in Toronto on Thursday.
Unlike Norway and Argentina, who opted to rest star players Haaland and Messi for their final group matches, Martinez stated there was no reason for him to do the same with Ronaldo just because other teams made different decisions.
“We don’t compare with players from other teams,” Martinez remarked when asked about resting Ronaldo. “That would be childish.”
“Cristiano knows where to be at the right time. It’s about maintaining mental strength, discipline in positioning, and creating space in our attacking strategies.
“Playing 90 minutes isn’t a concern for Cristiano, though we may consider changes for the next match, just like any other player.
“We’ve utilized 21 outfield players to share the minutes effectively.
“We keep track of all game and training data, providing insight for our decision-making regarding player changes.
“In today’s match, we played João Neves and Rúben Neves for 45 minutes, as we did with Diogo Dalot and João Cancelo, since different roles have varying demands.
“While some players are not at peak fitness, the data we gather is crucial in informing our decisions.”
Portugal’s inability to win the group could lead them to a challenging round-of-16 encounter against Euro 2024 champions Spain.
However, Martinez stated that the primary goal for the group phase was to qualify, after which they could focus on excelling in the actual World Cup.
“Now it’s time to fine-tune, improve, and take control of the matches with greater possession,” he explained. “This is a part of the World Cup experience and the tactics involved. We needed these three matches to reach our best form, and today’s match was invaluable.
“Our goal is to compete for eight matches, and this tournament is about to enter a different phase.”