Roberto Martinez Defends Ronaldo After Dropped Points

The early days of the 2026 World Cup have brought unexpected results along with heated debates surrounding global stars. In the Group K match between Portugal and DR Congo (1:1), the European giant unexpectedly failed to secure a victory. While this result caused a stir in the football world, the performance of legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo became a target for criticism from the press and fans.

The 41-year-old captain, who made history as the first player to appear in six World Cups, started the match and played until the final whistle. However, the famous goalscorer was unable to lead his team forward this time and was named the 'worst player' of the match by several prestigious sports publications and analysts due to his ineffective play.

Roberto Martinez: "We do not judge Cristiano by his age"

At the post-match press conference, journalists asked Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez delicate questions regarding Ronaldo's physical condition and how much confidence would be placed in him in upcoming matches. The experienced specialist fully supported his captain:

— Cristiano played the full 90 minutes today. We have enough time to recover — our next match is not in three days, but in six. Therefore, our general tactical approach and plans will not change. At this stage, our main priority is to keep all players' physical condition at their peak. We don't judge Ronaldo by the age in his passport; for us, his overall influence on the pitch and in the dressing room, and his ability to inspire the team, serve as the main criteria, Martinez emphasized.

You can find the official sports calendar and a review of the Portugal national team's next plans and details of the historic match against the Uzbekistan national team below:

The next clash — against the Uzbekistan national team!

From this statement, it is clear that the Portuguese coach Fabio Cannavaro plans to include Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting lineup for the match against the pupils of Fabio Cannavaro. For our representatives, who suffered a painful defeat against Colombia in the first round, this game becomes a life-and-death battle to decide their fate in the group. It is natural that the 'European Lions', wounded in the first round, will try to take out their frustration on us, but DR Congo showed in practice that they could be stopped.

The historic and exciting match that millions of our compatriots are eagerly awaiting, Portugal — Uzbekistan, will take place this year on June 23. The joyful part for football fans is that the start of this super clash is scheduled for 20:00 Tashkent time.

Final note from Zamin sports commentators:

Ronaldo being under criticism and Portugal dropping points in the first round makes them an even more dangerous opponent in the second match. However, Fabio Cannavaro's pupils and our defender Abduqodir Husanov are capable of completely neutralizing the 41-year-old legend. On the evening of June 23, all of Uzbekistan will be glued to their screens. We wish our boys great victories in this historic battle!

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