Scaloni openly discussed how closely he works with Messi on major decisions involving Argentina, leading many to wonder whether Martinez follows a similar approach with Ronaldo inside the Portugal camp. With the 2026 World Cup only five days away, the spotlight continues to shine on soccer’s biggest stars and the coaches tasked with leading them. Cristiano Ronaldo remains the central figure for Portugal as he prepares for what is expected to be his sixth World Cup, while Roberto Martinez is fine-tuning the squad ahead of the tournament. At the same time, Lionel Messi continues to guide Argentina’s title defense under Lionel Scaloni, whose recent comments sparked a debate about player influence within a national team setup.
Now, a striking parallel between the two soccer greats has surfaced as international expectations grow. Scaloni openly discussed how closely he works with Messi on major decisions involving Argentina, leading many to wonder whether Martinez follows a similar approach with Ronaldo inside the Portugal camp.
Scaloni opens up about Messi’s role in Argentina
According to reports from Ole, Scaloni explained that Messi’s voice carries enormous weight within the reigning world champion. “No one likes to be substituted, not even Messi,” he admitted when discussing the realities of managing one of the greatest players in soccer history. The Argentina coach went even further, revealing just how involved Messi is in conversations surrounding the squad: “Every decision we’ve made, we’ve discussed with him.”
Those comments quickly attracted attention around the world. Scaloni later expanded on the idea, insisting that communication between coach and captain is essential for the benefit of the group. “It makes no sense to say that I am the one in charge. In his case, and I think it is deserved, I will always talk to him and ask him how he is, and we see if we reach an agreement.”
Lionel Scaloni head coach of Argentina talks with Lionel Messi prior to a training session.
The coach also defended Messi’s continued importance at the age of 38. “I think it should be that way, because even if he is on the field facing difficulties, he brings us a great deal. It is better to have him on the field; he is capable of creating and generating a lot.”
Martinez reveals whether Ronaldo has similar influence
Those remarks inevitably led to questions for Martinez as Portugal prepared for its pre-World Cup friendly against Chile. Many wondered whether Ronaldo occupies a similar position behind the scenes with Portugal. After all, the Al-Nassr star remains the face of the national team and one of the most experienced players in international soccer history.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal interacts with Roberto Martinez
When asked directly whether he consults Ronaldo on all major decisions in the same way Scaloni does with Messi, Martinez provided a clear answer. “I respect all national teams in the world, all coaches in the world, but we work differently”, the Spanish boss told reporters on Friday.
That brief response revealed a significant contrast between the two managerial approaches. While Scaloni openly describes a collaborative decision-making process involving Messi, Martinez indicated that Portugal’s structure operates in a different manner.