Roberto Martinez defends Cristiano Ronaldo: "The numbers speak in his favor"

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has responded to the criticism surrounding team captain Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the next crucial World Cup match. The specialist defended the 41-year-old forward's place in the starting lineup, emphasizing that his experience and physical condition remain vital for the team. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

The Seleção did not start the tournament as expected — the 1:1 draw in the opening match against DR Congo was sharply criticized by the public and the media. In particular, debates flared up on social media claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo is negatively impacting the team's play. However, Martinez considers such claims groundless.

According to the head coach, Cristiano Ronaldo is proving to be a true leader not only on the pitch but also in the dressing room. "We are more united now than ever. Pressure is natural at a World Cup; it's part of the game. Cristiano is behaving like a true captain, and his experience serves as an example for the young players," the coach said.

Statistics and physical condition

While many point to Ronaldo's age, Roberto Martinez stressed that empirical data and statistical indicators are in the forward's favor. He stated that Cristiano remains one of the best in the world at creating space and distracting defenders.

"He is the greatest example of recovery and approach to training. The numbers fully support his presence in the starting lineup. True, as a team, we are a bit disappointed after the first game, but this makes us even stronger," the Portuguese mentor added.

Nevertheless, there is a slightly worrying aspect in the statistics: although Cristiano Ronaldo scored 5 goals in the qualifying stage, he has failed to find the net in the last 10 matches of major tournaments. This has led to increased demands from the fans.

Team defender Joao Cancelo also commented on the situation, stating that it is time to correct the mistakes. In his opinion, a team with high-level performers like Portugal must create more scoring opportunities. The team's next opponent will be Uzbekistan, and this match could decide the group situation.

As a reminder, rumors of internal conflict within the team had previously spread after comments by midfielder Joao Neves about Ronaldo were misinterpreted. Martinez put an end to these rumors ahead of the match in Texas.