40-year-old captain has faced questions over his relevance in the side
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez says his team remain stronger with Cristiano Ronaldo, even after sealing their place at the 2026 World Cup without the suspended captain.
Ronaldo missed the 9-1 win over Armenia after receiving the first red card of his international career in the defeat to Ireland, where he was dismissed for an elbow on Dara O’Shea during his 226th appearance for Portugal.
The incident led to an early release from the squad, leaving him to watch the decisive qualifier from home.
Portugal had gone to Yerevan needing a victory to confirm their place at next year’s tournament. They did so emphatically, with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes scoring a hat-trick in a performance that removed any tension left over from the shock loss in Dublin.
Despite the ease of the win, Martinez pushed back against suggestions that Portugal should move on from their 40-year-old all-time top scorer, following intense scrutiny of his performances for the side as his career winds down.
“We are better with Ronaldo, Nuno Mendes and Pedro Neto,” Martinez said, referring to Portugal’s other stars who also missed the win. “The most important thing is that football is a game of mistakes, of difficulties, of resilience, and when some players aren’t there, we have to find a way to win.”
Ronaldo has already declared his intention to appear at his sixth World Cup, aiming to extend his records of 226 caps and 143 international goals. His place in the squad has been debated for years, but Martinez said it was necessary to have Portugal’s strongest pool ahead of a major tournament.
Portugal’s coach said: “I think the important thing is to have all the important players, but also to have confidence and a clear idea that we can win when certain players aren’t in the starting XI.”
On the contrasting performances against Ireland and Armenia, Martinez said: “In Ireland we were anxious. We played to qualify for the World Cup and that’s very difficult.
“Today I really liked the players’ reaction. We analysed the work done in Ireland and today we saw the team very committed, united and that’s what changed.”
