Before making a decision on Cristiano Ronaldo’s international future, new Portugal manager Roberto Martinez intends to chat with the 37-year-old.
- Benched for the 2022 World Cup.
- The all-time great is now playing club football in Saudi Arabia.
- For his country, he has 196 caps and 118 goals.
WHAT OCCURED? With 118 goals, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has won 196 caps for his country, propelling them to European Championship and Nations League gold. Ronaldo, on the other hand, saw plenty of bench duty at the 2022 World Cup and has since teamed up with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United as a free agent, raising questions about whether he will figure in a new era for Portugal as Martinez takes over from Fernando Santos.
WHAT THEY SAID: Martinez told media at his official presentation when asked if Ronaldo had a part to play in his plans: “Decisions have to be taken on the pitch. I’m not the type of coach who makes snap decisions. I want to meet everyone, and I want to start talking to and getting to know everyone right away. Cristiano is on that list; he spent 19 years with the national team and deserves to be respected; let’s talk about it. Then it’s up to me to put together the best team for the European Championship. We’ll start working tomorrow, getting to know all of the guys, and Cristiano is one of them.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Martinez remarked on Ronaldo’s place within the Portuguese set-up, with a senior international bow having been made back in 2003: “We are going to start a footballing process to attempt to get to know all the individuals that could be part of this selection. We will give all players a chance and will appreciate those who are already in the lineup. Cristiano is among them. It’s a process that we must face organically and responsibly, and we will make critical decisions for the team.”
WHAT COMES NEXT? Portugal exited the 2022 World Cup in the quarterfinals after a stunning defeat to Morocco, and they will not be back in action until March 23, when they face Liechtenstein in the first round of Euro 2024 qualifying.