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Portugal coach Roberto Martínez would not comment on whether Cristiano Ronaldo would start Tuesday’s World Cup match against Uzbekistan following the superstar’s unforgettable performance in the team’s opener.
“I can’t inform you about the starting XI because I haven’t informed my players,” Martínez said on Monday when asked if Ronaldo would remain in the lineup.
Ronaldo, 41, failed to score in Portugal’s 1-1 draw against Congo.
TV pundits and social media users criticized Ronaldo after missing a few good chances to score in the second half. Some wondered why Martínez didn’t replace him in the second half when the team was struggling offensively.
Martínez said the criticism had no impact on his team and that such comments were part of an event of this magnitude.
“We’re playing a World Cup, so of course we have a lot of noise and tension, but that’s part of the game,” he said. “The focus is on the team and we want to show a positive attitude… to be ready for the game. We are very focused. We are strong. The team is even more united than before.”
Without specifically referring to Ronaldo, Martínez added that some of the criticism is “unfair, unfair.”
Ronaldo did not speak to reporters after the match but has posted two messages on social media since the draw. In the first message, he wrote: “It wasn’t the start we wanted, but it’s far from over. Go ahead and focus on the next game.”
On Sunday, he posted four photos from a team practice and wrote, “Focused on the mission.”
Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi became the only men to appear in six World Cups this year. Ronaldo will try again on Tuesday to become the first player to score in six World Cups after failing in the first match.
He currently shares the record with Messi, who has scored five goals in Argentina’s two matches this year, giving him a record 18 goals across five tournaments. Messi failed to score in 2010.
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Despite Ronaldo’s struggles in the first match, when he had just 25 touches, Martínez remains confident in his ability to help the team seize chances in the final third.
“Cristiano is the best at doing this,” he said. “The numbers back that up for this iconic player that is Cristiano Ronaldo. If you look at the last 32 games, he’s the player who has more movement, opening spaces and finding pockets.”
Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro knows not to underestimate Ronaldo despite the results in Portugal’s first match. As his team prepares to welcome many stars, it is Ronaldo who he said his players need to pay special attention to.
“We have to be careful when we are in the box because we cannot leave this kind of player alone,” he said. “We have to be very focused on him because Cristiano can score in any situation, from a free kick, even from the corner. So we have to be very careful.”
Associated Press reporting.
