After Portugal’s mediocre performance at the Euros was blamed on their reliance on 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, manager Roberto Martinez still hasn’t given up.
Portugal bowed out of the Euros at the quarter-final stage as they lost 5-3 on penalties to France, having failed to score in their final three games.
It was another ‘me’ tournament for Ronaldo, who started every game up front and was substituted only once but did not find the back of the net in any of his five appearances.
Martinez’s deference to Ronaldo has seemingly continued since the tournament, including this month as the Al-Nassr striker started in the UEFA Nations League clash with Poland on Saturday.
Ronaldo scored the second goal in that 3-1 win before being replaced by Diogo Jota in the 63rd minute, with Martinez’s comments afterwards summing up the situation.
“It’s important. It’s part of us managing the players, because there are two games in 72 hours,” he told Sport TV+.
“Diogo Jota came on very well. It’s important to use the players we have on the bench. Cristiano is perfect now.”
The suggestion there is that the pecking order remains, with Jota’s role being to protect the ageing Ronaldo when his minutes need managing.
It could be that Liverpool’s No. 20 starts against Scotland on Tuesday night, but would likely do so on the left wing with Portugal’s all-time leading goalscorer up front.
While Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the best players in footballing history and still capable of making his mark in international football, the signs were clear during the Euros that a system built around him does not benefit Portugal.
That was an issue that was evident during his second stint at Man United, before he forced through a switch to Saudi Arabia, and Martinez does not appear a strong enough manager to break that status duo.
Jota may well remain a stand-in until Ronaldo decides to retire, then, as there seems no chance Martinez will upset the apple cart.
