Roberto Martinez suggests Cristiano Ronaldo will not be undroppable at 2026 World Cup with Portugal boss prepared to make 'difficult decisions'

Ronaldo has found himself in that situation before, with questions being asked of his value to the Portuguese cause at Euro 2024. He has never backed down from a challenge and has remained a go-to option since then, with a record-shattering tally of international goals being taken to 143 through 226 appearances.

CR7 will lead Martinez’s troops into another bid for World Cup immortality this summer, as he attempts to emulate the achievements of eternal rival Lionel Messi from Qatar 2022, and boasts the full support of his manager heading into that competition.

Martinez, who has talked up Ronaldo’s many qualities on a regular basis during his time as Portugal boss, has told ESPN of what makes the all-time great special: “I think we need to accept that everyone in the world knows Cristiano Ronaldo and has an opinion [about him]. But the Cristiano Ronaldo who joined the national team 21 years ago is not the same Cristiano he is now. Now, he's much more of a positional player, a striker. He's a player who, for us, is a finisher. He's the all-time leading scorer. So, having a player who now has 25 goals in the last 30 games for the national team is a gift. 

“It's about the present; we're not talking about what he did 10 years ago. So, for me, his commitment is very important. He's the only player in the world with more than 220 international caps. So, with Cristiano Ronaldo's experience, having the commitment he has... He's an example. And he's a player who inspires the locker room. 

“On the field, he's a finisher who attracts defenders during the game and creates space; and, for us, that's a very important aspect, also with all the experience he manages to transmit to the players. A flaw? I think a player's flaw, in general, is when there's a lack of commitment, when there's a lack of attitude. So, a player without commitment, without attitude, isn't called up to the national team.”

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Ronaldo has shown no sign of slowing down, with stunning numbers still being posted with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. Martinez added on that relentless pursuit of perfection: “I think it's his focus that allows him to improve. Even now, I think he's showing that age is just a number. 

“For him, every day is an opportunity to improve and add what he can bring to the national team. We, the coaching staff, evaluate all the players every day. So, our evaluation of our captain is the same as we do with other players. And he manages to be at a level that makes him deserve to be called up. And the national team is better when Cristiano is on the field.”

Martinez went on to say of bringing the best out of Ronaldo, who remains a match-winner on his day: “We're talking about the most experienced player in the world. The most experienced player in world football. So, for us, we need to utilise that. It can only be positive for a new player to arrive in the locker room and be able to learn from the most experienced player there is. 

“Then, there's the aspect of his movements inside the penalty area. He's a very intelligent player, he creates spaces, breaks through the defensive line, creates spaces for other players. And he's a penalty area player. That's the aspect where we need to utilise Cristiano's strengths. But all aspects of him, his commitment, what it means to play for the national team – are very important. He's the top scorer [of goals], he's the best penalty area player we have in Portugal.”

That is not to say that Ronaldo is untouchable, with Martinez adamant that he is prepared to take tough decisions if forced into that position. He said of potentially taking CR7 out of his starting XI: “It's part of my job. I've been in this position for three years now. The most important thing is that the team wins, that the team is stronger than the opponent. That's my responsibility and also the coaching staff's. Making difficult decisions is part of our job. 

“I don't think I just arrived at the Portuguese national team today. I think it's a very valid question for someone who just arrived at the national team, but we have the experience of the last three years and what's important to me is the players' attitude and creating a high-performance, but very competitive environment. And that's what we have. For the captain and the other players, that's what we've done in the last three years.”

Portugal have been placed in Group K at the 2026 World Cup. They will open their campaign against the winners of an inter-confederation play-off at NRG Stadium in Houston on June 17. From there they will go on to face Uzbekistan in Texas, before heading to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for a meeting with Colombia.