“His Physical, mental condition isn’t in question,” Portugal coach backs Ronaldo

Abdullateef Fowewe

Portugal coach, Roberto Martinez, has defended Cristiano Ronaldo’s role and fitness on the eve of the national team’s World Cup match.

Martinez in an interview praised the veteran striker’s discipline, positioning, and impact on teammates.

“Cristiano is used to being in the right place at the right time. He is very disciplined in his position, and he also creates space for his teammates,” Martinez said, highlighting Ronaldo’s tactical value beyond goals.

Martinez added that there are no concerns over Ronaldo’s wellbeing but left the door open for tactical rotation based on evidence from the coaching staff.

“His physical and mental condition is not in question. We may need to make changes in the next match, but we base every decision on the information and data we have,” he said.

The comments come amid speculation about how Portugal will balance experience and squad freshness during the tournament, with Martinez stressing that any lineup adjustments would be driven by performance metrics and match-specific needs.