Portugal’s Roberto Martinez defends Cristiano Ronaldo’s heavy minutes in the World Cup

Unlike Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, who were benched in the group stage finale, Cristiano Ronaldo has played every minute in Portugal’s ongoing World Cup campaign, and head coach Roberto Martinez doesn’t think it will change anytime soon, citing the Al-Nassr star’s superb condition.

>Portugal are through to the Round of 32 after finishing second in Group K behind Colombia at five points, and Ronaldo played a pivotal role. The 41-year-old striker registered a brace in the Selecao’s 5-0 win against Uzbekistan, setting multiple records in the process.

>“Obviously, we don’t compare players in our team with other players to make decisions. I think that would be quite childish and very unprofessional. I can tell you that we monitor all the (player) information that we get live during the games,” Martinez told reporters.

>“There are different positions on the pitch that need different needs, and we monitor that down to the detail. Cristiano is used to being in the right place at the right time. It’s more a question of mentally being strong and always being disciplined in his position,” he added.

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June 27, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo before a free kick. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn ImagesPortugal will dedicate their World Cup campaign to fallen teammateAfter finishing second in Group K, Portugal have drawn Croatia as their Round of 32 opponents next Thursday. The match will carry a special significance, as it will be played a day before the death anniversary of Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash with his brother last year.

>“Obviously, every day is difficult. When you are training, there are always moments that Diogo Jota comes back into our memories. So I wouldn’t say that the anniversary needs to be especially difficult. I would say that it’s a little bit of a celebration,” Roberto Martinez said.

>“We need to honor Diogo Jota. It’s a moment to cherish, that everything we started in this team started with him. We won the Nations League with him. He’s probably the sign and the light of the biggest stimulation that we have,” he continued. “We want to win the World Cup for him. The anniversary is just a moment that makes the game Diogo Jota’s game.”

>Portugal face a tough road to this year’s World Cup final. If they beat Croatia next week, they could face Spain in the Round of 16, Belgium or the USA in the quarterfinals, and France in the semifinals. Moreover, the only chance we could see Cristiano Ronaldo go up against Lionel Messi is if Portugal and Argentina reach the final.