Portugal’s national football team manager, Roberto Martinez, has made some shocking revelations about his coaching stint with the European nation, as well as managing the legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
“High Standards”: Martinez on Ronaldo
On being asked about how it was to manage the World’s highest goalscorer of all time, Martinez opened that it was very easy for him to work with Ronaldo, praising his athleticism and extraordinary passion towards football. The former Belgium manager also underscored Ronaldo’s adaptability in the team after representing the nation for a long span of 21 years.
Moreover, highlighting Ronaldo’s recent stint in Saudi Arabia, Martinez mentioned that the 41-year-old is still a crucial player, a “goalscorer” for them.
“Very easy, because of his high standards, his expectations of how the work should be done and his commitment to the game. He truly is an example of what you should do to represent Portugal and the national team. And now he’s adapted, obviously, after 21 years in the national team – he’s adjusted. He’s a goalscorer, he’s an important player for us, and it’s the player that he is now that is important for me,” Martinez said during an interview with the BBC.
Martinez on Ronaldo’s Retirement
On being asked about when Ronaldo will adeiu to football, Martinez gave a crystal clear response on his sheer will. It is worth noting that Martinez and Ronaldo have been working together for the past three years since he took over as the manager of Selecao da Quinas in 2023.
“Well, we got all the stats. If you were going to analyse a player who is dropping at a physical level, that’s not the case. His physical stats are of a player who could go on and on and on. I think it’s more a question of when he’ll feel that it’s the right time. I think he’s a player who is very critical of himself. When he doesn’t see that he can help the team, he’ll be the one who will decide when to stop,” he added.
Cristiano Ronaldo Legacy for Portugal
Ronaldo is undeniably one of the shining beacons in the crown of the Portuguese football team. Not just the highest cap holder for his nation, the Madeira-born football icon is the highest international goal scorer in the history of the game (143 goals in 226 appearances so far).
