Cristiano Ronaldo, netting four goals last week for Portugal, has quashed debate over his status as a selection-carrier, but the debate may only have been postponed.
Scorer of a brace on Sunday night against Luxembourg (6-0), three days after he scored twice in what the Portuguese press described as a “friendly match” against Liechtenstein (4-0), Cristiano Ronaldo justified his debut, but perhaps he offended Portugal’s new coach Roberto Martinez. The former Red Devils boss arrived at the forward-looking bedside of the Seleção with a few ideas in mind, notably the idea of stifling the opposition by installing rebound pressure when the ball is lost in a 3. 4-3 pattern, a game concept unfamiliar to CR7.
If he gives more runs, chooses to provide solutions and sometimes starts to put pressure on Luxembourg, then the very relative mobility of Cristiano Ronaldo necessarily raises questions. Can he, at the age of 38, find his place in this new environment alongside a new generation that is making his mark in the major leagues (English Premier League, Italian League, Serie A and Portuguese League) and playing this football, while he himself chose Going into exile in the minor championship in Saudi Arabia? After being relegated to the bench by predecessor Robert Martinez during the World Cup in Qatar, will Cristiano Ronaldo regain his pre-World Cup status at the end of this first run of the year with Portugal?
When Bruno Fernandes contradicts Cristiano Ronaldo
“Cristiano Ronaldo is very dedicated (…) he is a player who can bring experience, a symbol for the team. I don’t look at age,” Roberto Martinez confirmed after revealing his list. The Al-Nasr striker took care of his selection stats, scoring two goals 121 and 122 in 198 selections, and postponed the discussion about his future for the time being. Roberto Martinez made it clear last week that sports decisions related to football will be taken on the field, before the start of the qualifying campaign for the European Nations Cup 2024. This is not the time to talk about the defending champion or not. Now is the time to get involved and help the team. improvement team.
And the Catalan technician added, “Cristiano is our leader, and in any new tournament, it is important to be able to benefit from this experience.” Through these phrases we understand the benefit of a coach who has just been appointed to be able to count on such a player to act as a link between generations, and it is the right time to solidify his ideas. Cristiano Ronaldo’s breath of “fresh air” at the time of the start of a new tournament found a stretch on the floor last week, even if it is necessary to put the value of the two rivals they have met so far into perspective. Only Bruno Fernandez’s statement, which contradicted that of his captain, made the idyllic picture of the situation painted by the Portuguese press even darker.
“No, he’s just a new coach with new ideas. No fresh air at all, that’s what the Manchester United player coldly estimated. It’s just a transitional period. The atmosphere within the national team has always been good.” A statement that perhaps indicates a difference in vision, and tends to demonstrate that even within the dressing room, Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence and place in the starting line-up raises questions at least. Even if Bruno Fernandes defends himself on Instagram against any hint of revolution, accusing the Portuguese media of inventing a controversy in which there is none. The Portuguese press did not comment much, Bruno Fernandes’ announcement may find a completely different resonance in the coming months, depending on when the next matches are, which will certainly be more difficult. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo remains a staple, and an entire country is happy about that.
