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Portugal coach Roberto Martínez would not say whether Cristiano Ronaldo would start Tuesday’s World Cup match against Uzbekistan after the superstar’s forgettable performance in the team’s opening game.
“I can’t inform you about the starting 11 because I haven’t informed my players,” Martínez said on Monday when asked if Ronaldo would remain in the lineup.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo failed to score in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with Congo.
TV pundits and social media users criticized Ronaldo after he missed a couple of good scoring chances in the second half. Some wondered why Martínez did not replace him in the second half as the team struggled offensively.
Martínez said criticism does not affect his team and said such talk is part of being in an event of this magnitude.
“We’re playing a World Cup, so of course we have a lot of noise and tension, but that’s part of the game,” he said. “The focus is on the team and we want to show a positive attitude … to be ready for the game. We are very focused. We are strong. The team is even more united than before.”
While not specifically referring to Ronaldo, Martínez added that some of the criticism is “unfair, it’s unfair.”
Ronaldo did not speak to reporters after the match but has posted twice on social media since the draw. In the first post, he wrote: “It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over. Head up and focus on the next game.”
On Sunday, he posted four photos from a team practice and wrote, “Focused on the mission.”
Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi became the only men to play in six World Cups with their participation this year. Ronaldo will again try to become the first player to score in six World Cups on Tuesday after falling short in the opener.
He currently shares the record with Messi, who has five goals in Argentina’s two games this year to give him a record 18 goals in five tournaments. Messi failed to score in 2010.
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Despite Ronaldo’s struggles in the opener, when he had just 25 touches, Martínez remains confident in his ability to help the team finish off opportunities in the final third.
“Cristiano is the best to do it,” he said. “The numbers back this up with this iconic player who is Cristiano Ronaldo. If you look at the last 32 games, he is the player who has extra movement openings and finding pockets.”
Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro is not underestimating Ronaldo despite the results in Portugal’s first game. As his team prepares for the squad’s many stars, it is Ronaldo he said his players need to pay particular attention to.
“We have to be careful when we’re in the box because we can’t leave this kind of player alone,” he said. “We have to be very focused on him because Cristiano can score in any situation, free kick, even in the corner. So we have to be very careful.”
Report from the Associated Press.
