Portugal’s World Cup opener didn’t exactly go to plan. For a team that was touted as the best supporting cast placed around Cristiano Ronaldo at a World Cup, Portugal failed to make the most out of their opening game against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, settling for a 1-1 draw.
Ronaldo drew more than his fair share of criticism as he spearheaded Portugal’s blunt attack, with questions mounting over his ability to function at the highest level of football.
However, head coach Roberto Martinez is having none of it.
Portugal HC Stands By Cristiano Ronaldo Despite Drab World Cup Opener
After the draw against DR Congo, Roberto Martinez was asked if he ever considered hooking Ronaldo and bringing in fresh legs to chase a win. Martinez fired back with a question of his own, asking reporters why he would substitute one of the greatest goalscorers world football has ever seen.
“It made no sense at all to take off Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the best goalscorer in history, off the field when we were looking for goals,” Martinez said. As they prep to take on Uzbekistan in their second round of fixtures, Martinez was once again forced to answer the question around Ronaldo’s ability to lead this team by example.
“What’s important is to understand what a player brings,” Martinez said.
“For us, Cristiano brings experience, brings the know-how, brings the goalscoring opportunities, the movement in the box, the opportunity to open and create space. If you want to analyze the stats in terms of physical, you only need to look at what he’s done in the last 12 months. Cristiano is in the national team because he deserves to be.”
SIMULATE THE WORLD CUP: PFN’s FREE FIFA World Cup Simulator
Reporter to Roberto Martinez:
‘Why do you insist on starting Ronaldo?’ 😬 pic.twitter.com/9uvqB3OuQP
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) June 19, 2026
There are few doubts as to whether Ronaldo belongs on this squad. The question that has been asked, instead, is whether Ronaldo’s the best option to lead the attack for this Portugal side.
There is an argument to be made that they would be better served with Rafael Leao as the striker, surrounded by Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto and Bernardo Silva. With Joao Neves and Vitinha in the double-six pivot, Portugal could look like a more well-rounded unit out of possession.
As things stand, they direly need a win against Uzbekistan to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive. A draw here could prove to be a hammer blow, especially with Colombia firing on all cylinders.
PFSN’s World Cup Simulator still gives Portugal a 95.9% chance of making it to the Round of 32, a 47.4% shot at topping Group K, and a 39.4% chance of finishing second. Heading into the Uzbekistan fixture, they have an 11.4% chance of finishing third and 1.8% of bottoming out.
