Roberto Martinez accused of being 'scared' of Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal urged to bring in 'strong manager' to put CR7 on the bench

Despite turning 40, Ronaldo continues to deliver eye-catching performances for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, once again surpassing 30 goals this season. His commitment to both club and country remains strong, and with 219 caps and 136 international goals to his name, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner still harbours ambitions of representing Portugal at the 2026 World Cup.

However, not everyone is convinced that unwavering faith in Ronaldo is in the team’s best interest. Former France international Petit has voiced concerns about Martinez’s ability to make unbiased decisions when it comes to Ronaldo. He has urged the Portuguese Football Federation to appoint a manager with the authority to make tough calls, even if that means benching their legendary captain.

In an interview with Sambaslots, Petit said: "Ronaldo always shows the same commitment, the same desire, he wants to win things despite his age. He wants to make history in every season, in every game he plays, he will have been sad at how the last tournament went with Portugal and will want to put that right at the World Cup. The biggest trouble is not about keeping Ronaldo in the Portugal squad, it’s about if the manager is brave enough to tell him when he needs to start a game on the bench."

Another key concern revolves around Ronaldo's own mindset. Known for his competitive nature and unyielding drive, the Al-Nassr forward has never been one to accept a supporting role lightly. Petit questioned whether Ronaldo would be willing to take a step back at this stage in his career.

"You can’t be too scared not to start him," Petit said. "You need to have the guts to tell Ronaldo that sometimes he is better off coming off the bench, he can’t play in every single game and if he does it will harm the mentality of the team. With the ego of Ronaldo, will he be willing to sit on the bench sometimes? I don’t think he will. That’s why it will only work if he has a strong manager."

As Portugal look ahead to the 2026 World Cup in North America, managing Ronaldo’s twilight years poses a complex challenge. However, in the short term, given his enduring physical fitness and prolific scoring form, few would be surprised to see him leading the line once again when Portugal face Germany in the Nations League semi-finals in June.