After a discreet performance against DR Congo, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez backed Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that “when we’re looking for a goal, Cristiano has to be on the field.” Cristiano Ronaldo became the primary focus of attention following Portugal‘s disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, drawing heavy scrutiny for his limited involvement in the match. In the postgame press conference, head coach Roberto Martinez firmly defended the veteran striker, emphasizing that Ronaldo remains an indispensable asset when the team needs to find the back of the net.
Despite starting the match, Ronaldo struggled to make an impact as a compact Congolese defensive block limited his service in the attacking third. The 41-year-old forward recorded just 20 passes and failed to register a shot on target, a quiet performance that immediately placed him at the center of postmatch criticism.
When asked if he considered subbing Ronaldo off during the second half, Martinez rejected the idea and stood by his captain’s ability to decide games: “In a match like today’s, where it was difficult to get into the box, it is important to use Cristiano’s quality. It makes no sense to take off the greatest goalscorer in the history of football in a match where we need goals.“
The Spanish manager acknowledged that while Ronaldo lacked a direct statistical impact, his mere presence on the pitch fundamentally shapes how opposing defenses set up. “His experience in the box is important, the way he drags defenders… Every player has their role on the pitch and, when we think about goals, we need to have Cristiano on the pitch,” he added.
Joao Neves #15 of Portugal scores against DR Congo.
That off-the-ball movement proved crucial early in the first half, as Ronaldo occupied DR Congo center-backs Steve Kapuadi and Axel Tuanzebe near the penalty spot. This distraction allowed midfielder Joao Neves to exploit the vacant space and head home an unmarked opening goal in the sixth minute.
Ronaldo: ‘We didn’t lack anything’
Following the final whistle, Ronaldo walked straight down the tunnel to the locker room and initially bypassed reporters waiting on the stadium floor. However, the Portuguese captain later took to social media to shift the team’s focus toward their upcoming Group K fixtures.
Before boarding the team bus at Houston Stadium, Ronaldo provided a brief assessment of the result in the mixed zone. “We didn’t lack anything. This is football. Portugal could have won but also lost,” he stated before heading to the bus.
Could Portugal have won today?Cristiano Ronaldo:“That’s football. We could have won, but we could have lost as well.” pic.twitter.com/N5RTnMD5Pp— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) June 17, 2026
Martinez on a rocky start with Portugal
The opening draw puts additional pressure on Portugal ahead of their remaining group matches against upcoming opponents Uzbekistan and Colombia. Despite dropping two crucial points in the opener, Martinez remains confident that the squad will learn from the adversity and improve as the tournament progresses.
The manager also pointed out that early tournament struggles are common, reminding reporters that previous champions have overcome similar setbacks on the global stage: “First of all, I must say that a World Cup is a tournament where this happens. There are moments when performances are not up to standard. In Qatar, Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia and won the World Cup; Spain against Switzerland in 2010… It’s a process. Talking about winning the World Cup, winning the World Cup. It’s an emotion that doesn’t help win games.“