How Roberto Martinez will manage Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup

Portugal national team head coach Roberto Martinez has shared his plans for utilizing Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup. The manager emphasized that managing the legendary forward during the tournament will be a natural process, rather than relying on rigid club-level structures. This is reported by Goal.com. reports .

Martinez highlighted the difference between club and international football. While club coaches must manage player fatigue over a long season, short-term tournaments like the World Cup require situational decision-making. According to him, the importance of each match takes precedence over age or physical metrics.

The Portugal boss stated that the team's immediate focus is on the three group stage matches. He expressed confidence that the experience of nearly 40 matches with Cristiano Ronaldo over the past two years is sufficient to manage the team environment effectively.

This tournament is expected to be the final major international competition for the Al-Nassr star. Martinez stressed that the mutual understanding between the coaching staff and the captain, combined with accumulated data, will be the key factor in overcoming challenges during the tournament.