Luis Mateus, editor-in-chief of Portuguese newspaper A Bola, has leveled sharp criticism at Portugal’s national team coach Roberto Martinez and star player Cristiano Ronaldo in his article titled “Roberto Martinez Led by the Nose by Cristiano Ronaldo.”
The article states: “There is no reasonable justification for why the Portugal captain started against Georgia. This match, aside from boosting Ronaldo’s personal honor roll or creating a superficial sense of harmony, has little significance for the team as a whole.” Mateus suggests that this issue could have been resolved by fielding Félix as a false nine.
He emphasizes: “I believe in Ronaldo’s specialness, he deserves special treatment, but the inability to rest him in a match that was almost entirely about personal glory foreshadows the enormous challenges the coach will face in crucial moments if the situation becomes more serious. Ronaldo’s situation inevitably brings to mind the situation of Eden Hazard in the World Cup, who looked out of his depth on the field until Martinez finally adjusted his strategy, perhaps too late. While this comparison may seem unfair to the other players on the Portuguese team, it is not without merit.”
Mateus further elaborates: “The message Martinez is sending to the team is, in essence, consistent with the actions of his predecessor, Fernando Santos, although the latter expressed it through actions rather than words. Their consensus seems to be: Ronaldo will continue to play as long as conditions allow. The Spanish coach, while not stating it directly, suggests the same path through his actions. In the world of football, there should be no absolute immutability, every position should be subject to fair competition.”
Furthermore, Mateus criticizes Ronaldo’s limitations on the team’s tactical choices, arguing that his presence excessively restricts the team’s tactical flexibility.
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