Roberto Martínez Praises Cristiano Ronaldo After Portugal's World Cup Exit

Since Roberto Martínez became ­the Portugal manager after the 2022 World Cup, the issue of Cristiano Ronaldo has haunted him.

His predecessor, Fernando Santos, had taken the decision to leave Ronaldo out of the last-16 tie against Switzerland in Qatar and was rewarded not only with a 6-1 win, but with a hat-trick for Gonçalo Ramos. Martínez, though, restored Ronaldo to his starting line-up and, despite persistent criticism, kept selecting him.

Martínez had nothing but praise for the 41-year-old forward despite another unimpressive display here in the 1-0 loss to Spain, which ended Portugal’s 2026 World Cup campaign at the last-16 stage.

“I had a word of thanks to him,” Martínez said. “He has been an exemplary captain. I arrived when there was a lot of confusion and questions in terms of his position in the team. But he has been an example not only in the number of goals he has scored, but also in the counterattacks he leads. He is an example, a role model to follow. He is a football icon. There aren’t many Ronaldos out there.

“His dream was to win this World Cup and he did this by being an amazing example within the dressing room,” the manager added. “He is a prime example of football, the athlete, and the human being who is behind that athlete.”

Martínez rejected any suggestion he should have substituted Ronaldo in what proved to be his final World Cup match. “When you are a team who need a goal you cannot take him off,” he said. “He’s physically very ­capable, in open space and from dead balls; anything in the box, you need his experience.

“Probably in extra time would be when you might use the energy of Gonçalo Ramos. Today, we had to keep the structure. It’s not the time to take your centre-forward, your best goalscorer off.”

The defeat was also Martínez’s last game as Portugal manager. “I’m not disappointed,” he said. “I am proud. We played one of the favourites eye-to-eye. The journey we had to be able to play like this. I feel immense pride. Immense pride in our personality and focus.”

Ronaldo had confirmed before the match in Dallas that this World Cup would be his last as a player. “I’m not missing anything; God has been generous to me,” he said. “I won’t be more Cristiano or less Cristiano if I win the World Cup or not.”