Martinez hails 'exemplary' Ronaldo for 'incredible' World Cup display

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Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has heaped praise on Cristiano Ronaldo, describing his captain as an "exemplary" leader following a dominant 5-0 World Cup victory over Uzbekistan. The Al-Nassr superstar netted twice to silence critics who had questioned his role in the national team after a difficult week of external pressure.

Silencing the 'unfair noise'

The period following Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo on matchday one was described by Ronaldo as "dark week", with many fans and pundits questioning whether the 41-year-old should remain in Martinez's lineup. However, after the emphatic win over Uzbekistan, Martinez issued a response to the criticism of Ronaldo and his team.

"It was a very difficult week, with unfair noise," Martinez said. "We didn't get the result we worked for [against DR Congo] and it created a difficult situation because there's noise. Noise that was unfair, ‘fake news’, aspects that were malicious. After a result like that, it's easy to make excuses, to look the other way, but our players focused and had an incredible attitude."

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An 'exemplary' captain in the face of criticism

The national team coach highlighted that, in addition to the two goals scored, Ronaldo's attitude was vital in keeping the group united. Martínez said: "We showed anger, we were sick, but the result was growing as a team, improving a lot in managing emotions during the World Cup games, and being able to continue being who we are for 90 minutes. Cristiano was an exemplary captain, focused on what he could control and also used his experience. Today it wasn't just the two goals scored, it was the number of opportunities, the positions, opening up space for teammates, having incredible discipline to be a reference in the attack pattern."

The impact of a global icon

Despite the endless comparisons to Lionel Messi, Martinez preferred to focus on what Ronaldo brings to this specific Portugal side on the world stage.

"They are players who changed and improved football, and who needed their rivalry to constantly continue to grow," the coach noted. "Regarding our captain, there is the aspect of being the icon, who is in his sixth World Cup, but then there is the captain of the national team. He is an example of what it represents to play for the national team. I'm very happy for him, he deserves this, but I already know he's recovering and preparing for the next game. And it's that simplicity that makes him unique."

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Physical management for the superstar

Martínez concluded his analysis by guaranteeing that Ronaldo's use will continue to be carefully evaluated to keep the captain at the peak of his abilities, with Portugal set to play their final group game against Colombia this weekend.

"He’s a player who, at his club, plays everything. It was a season with many minutes, but he’s fresh, and we manage it game by game, training by training, evaluating everything that happens," Martinez noted. "Today his position on the field was a problem for Uzbekistan, the defensive line switched positions... It was a real problem and, when that happens, we need to use him."