Portugal’s World Cup draw fuels scrutiny over Ronaldo and Martinez

Portugal opened its 2026 World Cup campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Congo, which earned its first-ever World Cup point and goal. After the match, much of the criticism focused on Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.

The main complaint was that Martinez left Ronaldo on the pitch for the full 90 minutes even though he was almost invisible in the game. The report says a possible explanation is that Martinez had already entered talks before the tournament to become the next coach of Al Nassr, Ronaldo’s club.

Martinez’s Portugal contract runs until the end of the World Cup, and the negotiations with Al Nassr have sparked accusations that his decisions about Ronaldo may be influenced by his future job. In effect, critics are saying he is giving Ronaldo more credit than he deserves.

A French outlet said the federation cannot ignore the issue, writing that other players are fed up with the excessive respect Ronaldo receives and that someone needs to speak up. The same report argued that the federation will stay silent because Ronaldo is more important in Portugal than the president. Portugal now faces Uzbekistan in its second group match, a game seen as its best chance to recover after the poor start. Dropping points again could trigger even harsher anger from fans, while only a win would calm the situation.