Europa League
Martinez backs Ronaldo after Portugal's 1-1 draw with Congo
Roberto Martinez defended Cristiano Ronaldo at a press conference today at 18:00 after Portugal’s opening match with Congo ended in a 1‑1 draw. Ronaldo played the full ninety minutes, yet failed to register a single shot on target, drawing criticism from international media despite his 229 caps and 143 goals for Portugal.
Six minutes into the game, Joao Neves opened the scoring for the Selecao, a moment in which Ronaldo was not on the field. The early lead came without Ronaldo’s contribution.
Although Ronaldo completed the entire match, he did not manage any attempt on goal. The lack of offensive output sparked criticism from the international press.
"It made no sense to take Cristiano Ronaldo, the all‑time top scorer, off the field when we were looking for goals," Martinez said at the post‑match press conference. His comment aimed to justify keeping the veteran striker on the pitch.
Ronaldo has amassed 229 international appearances for Portugal, scoring 143 goals. At 41 years old, he is entering his sixth final tournament and remains the team’s first striker, a role he has held since 2003.
Studio Oranje also highlighted a special assignment given by Koeman, adding another talking point to the post‑match discussion. The segment examined the broader implications for the Portuguese squad.