Cristiano Ronaldo faces heat again after a weak showing in Portugal's World Cup opener,a 1-1 draw with DR Congo. The veteran star,usually team's go-to guy, registered just 25 touches. Fewest ever in major tournament for Portugal . Questions swirl about his starting spot given the squad's attacking depth.
Head coach Roberto Martinez stood by his choice to keep Ronaldo on despite criticism. Some said he should've made earlier subs, but Martinez argued it made no sense to bench top scorer while chasing a goal. “It made no sense at all to take off Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the best goalscorer in history,off the field when we were looking for goals,” he told reporters.
Martinez noted Portugal shifted gears after taking lead. Team got too possession-focused,letting DR Congo regroup. “We started very, very well,” Martinez said of the match's early moments. “Scoring the goal... had the opposite effect. Instead, it made us want to keep possession of the ball.” That shift hurt their attack,opened doors for DR Congo counters.
Coach admitted disappointment but urged patience,reminding of past World Cup champs who stumbled early . “The World Cup is tournament where these things happen,” he said, pointing to Argentina's 2022 loss to Saudi Arabia and Spain's 2010 defeat to Switzerland. “What we're talking about here is the first match of a World Cup,” he stressed.
Martinez said the emotional high of scoring hurt their play. “After we scored the opening goal, those emotions had a negative effect on our performance,” he explained. Team stopped taking risks,didn't exploit spaces,blaming emotions not tactics. “It happens. It's part of the World Cup,” he concluded,hinting at lessons learned for next match.
Frustrations aside,coach remains determined to adapt. As Portugal looks ahead,focus will be on sharpening strategy, using their strengths. Can they navigate the tournament's hurdles?
