Alan Shearer: Roberto Martinez may be afraid to bench Cristiano Ronaldo

Against the backdrop of the Portugal national team's participation in the 2026 World Cup, the relationship between captain Cristiano Ronaldo and head coach Roberto Martinez has once again come into focus. According to English football legend Alan Shearer, the 41-year-old forward's influence in the team is so high that the coach may not dare to substitute him even during a match. This is reported by Goal.com news reports.

Shearer noted that Ronaldo's global status and influence have transcended the usual boundaries of the relationship between a player and a coach. This could seriously damage the tactical flexibility of the Portugal national team in the tournament taking place in North America. According to Goal.com, the former striker expressed doubts regarding the coach's authority.

Ronaldo's untouchability and tactical issues

In an interview with Betfair, Alan Shearer said: “The main question is whether Roberto Martinez has the permission to take Ronaldo off the pitch or not. Cristiano is so powerful that if he doesn't want to accept that he cannot be on the pitch every minute, the system won't work. The fact that he believes he should start every game and play the full 90 minutes is a major obstacle for the team”.

In the expert's opinion, Ronaldo's current sporting form does not match his untouchable status. The Portugal captain's inability to score for the national team for some time and his distance from his best performances are causing objections among observers. Especially in the knockout stages, this situation could negatively impact the team's overall result.

Comparison with Lionel Messi

Shearer compared Ronaldo's unsuccessful actions with those of his eternal rival, Lionel Messi. While the Argentine star demonstrated his high form by scoring a hat-trick against Algeria, Ronaldo is acting nervously and inefficiently on the pitch. This situation is causing the scales in the debate between the two great footballers to tip in Messi's favor.

“Lionel Messi continues to play amazingly. He is still in top form, and his team is ready to run for him and deliver the ball to him. As for Ronaldo, it's clear he was deeply depressed after seeing Messi's three goals and then putting in a poor performance the next day. It's not hard to imagine what is going through his mind,” Shearer added.

For the Portugal national team, the 2026 World Cup is becoming not only a fight for the championship but also a complex test of how to conclude the era of the legendary Ronaldo. Whether Roberto Martinez can remain firm in his decisions or whether Ronaldo's “power” will prevail over tactical changes remains to be seen.