Roberto Martinez: “Cristiano Ronaldo is an example of how to represent Portugal.”
Portugal’s head coach, Roberto Martinez, opened up about his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo and what the forward represents in the current balance of the national team.
SUMMARY
Appointed head coach of Portugal in January 2023, a few weeks after the FIFA World Cup 2022, the former Belgium manager quickly had to contend with the legacy and aura of the five-time Ballon d’Or. In an interview with the BBC, the Spanish coach did not stint on praise for his captain.
“It’s very easy to work with him, because he is demanding. He expects work to be well done and he genuinely cares about the game. He is a perfect example of the way one should behave to represent Portugal,” he said. At 41, Ronaldo continues to weigh on defenses and in the locker room. Martinez stresses one point: the status is not based on the past, but on the present. “It’s not for what he accomplished before that he plays. It’s for what he does today. He has scored 25 goals in his last 30 international matches. That’s what matters.” A clear message, at a time when the longevity of Al-Nassr’s star continues to spark as many debates.
A first trophy and intact ambitions
After a contrasting experience with Belgium, eliminated in the group stage in Qatar despite its status as the world’s second nation, Martinez took over from Fernando Santos. Since then, the record is solid: 27 wins in 36 matches at the helm of the national team.
The highlight of this early mandate: the UEFA Nations League title in 2025, won against Spain in the final. The first trophy of the Martinez era. Unless a physical setback occurs, Cristiano Ronaldo should wear the armband at the next World Cup. A new page to write for the one who continues, season after season, to defy time.
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