Read 4 minutesUpdated: June 18, 2026 12:14 PM IST
By Curry Barker the obsessionThe horror film, which grossed nearly $300 million from a $750,000 budget, is about a man who gets what he wants, then destroys it. Roberto Martinez should book the ticket.
On Wednesday night, through two missed chances, 25 touches and zero shots on target, Martinez’s insistence on keeping Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI was less about tactical stubbornness and more about the kind of devotion that clouded decision-making. You can’t blame Ronaldo for wanting to start every game at 41. That competitive appetite is, in its own way, admirable. But it is the manager’s job to see the player clearly. Martinez doesn’t seem capable of doing the same with Ronaldo.
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“I’ve worked with a lot of talent, but I’ve never seen anyone like Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said last year. “His hunger to win is unbelievable. Every morning is a new opportunity for him to improve, to get better, to win. He’s unique. I can’t explain it.” That last sentence might be the most honest thing Martinez said about the situation. He cannot explain it because he is not rational. There is a crack. And Dara is not the basis of team selection.
Wednesday’s count tells the story Martinez refused to read. According to Squawk, Ronaldo had just 25 touches, just five in the opposition box, and no shots on target. Portugal, as a team, managed just one. It’s a very disappointing comeback for a team hoping to win the World Cup, and it starts with the man at the helm. Bruno Fernandes was in a good position to score in the 68th minute when Francisco Conceicao cut the ball back. Ronaldo’s instincts took over and a clear chance was missed. The second chance, in the 74th minute, came to Ronaldo, who was once an automatic in that position and no longer. With Congo looking fully capable of hurting Portugal on the break, Martinez’s reaction was to bring on Goncalo Ramos, the striker, for Vitinha, the midfielder, while Ronaldo stayed on the pitch.
Ronaldo had just 25 touches, just five in the opposition box, and not a single shot on target. (AP Photo)
In the post-match press conference, Martínez’s defense was: “There’s no point in taking out the best goalscorer in world football in a game where you need goals.” The logic is circular. If the best goal scorer in world football isn’t getting any shots on target and is costing the team clear chances, the premises need to be examined.
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Here is an example worth revisiting. Fernando Santos, the last manager who dared to drop Ronaldo, benched him for the Round of 16 match against South Korea at the 2022 World Cup. Ronaldo reacted angrily by leaving the pitch. Santos dropped him again in the quarter-final against Switzerland. Ramos’ hat-trick saw Portugal win 6-1. Ronaldo, who started all three group matches, had only one goal to show for it. When Portugal were knocked out by Morocco, in a match where Ronaldo scored almost the entire game in the second half, Ronaldo did not give up. It was Santos. The only coach to deliver silverware to Portugal, the architect of Euro 2016, quietly packed off as his relationship with the superstar was broken beyond repair.
Martinez has hinted in recent interviews that he may leave after this World Cup regardless. Which leads to his reluctance to treat all strangers. He has nothing to protect. He has at least two more group matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia to try something different. The question is, does he have the guts for it?
Martinez’s record in Belgium showed what happens when a generation of exceptional players is managed without making tough calls. If he can’t do it now, he risks adding another golden generation to his ledger: praised in parts, ultimately incomplete. Only Martinez can decide whether it is worth keeping Ronaldo’s feelings. He has the tools to get it right. So there is an option not to use them.