Ronaldo Keeps Portugal Future Open While Martínez Faces Fierce Backlash

Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of lifting the FIFA World Cup has come to a disappointing end. Following Portugal’s defeat to Spain in the Round of 16, Ronaldo confirmed that this World Cup would be the last of his career as a player. Although his farewell drew widespread attention, the focus quickly shifted to Portugal coach Roberto Martínez, whose future is now uncertain.

Ronaldo ruled out an immediate retirement from international football, saying he did not want to rush into any decision.

While the World Cup chapter has closed for CR7, it may not be the end of his international career just yet. There remains a faint possibility of him featuring at UEFA Euro 2028, when he would be 43 years old. For now, however, that remains highly speculative, as neither Ronaldo nor the Portuguese Football Federation has indicated whether he intends to continue playing until then.

“I’m sad to be leaving the World Cup like this. It was my last World Cup, yes, but I’ll now have time to reflect and be with my family. I won’t be making any rash decisions,” Ronaldo said after the defeat.

Back home, however, not everyone in Portugal shares Ronaldo’s outlook.

José Mourinho did not mince his words while assessing Martínez’s tenure, questioning how the Portuguese Football Federation could have entrusted him with one of the finest generations of players the country has produced.

“How do you appoint a coach who won nothing with Belgium’s golden generation and expect good results from him? He should have been sacked after the first knockout game of the tournament. I wonder what they expect from him after that horrible performance,” Mourinho said.

Portuguese legend Luís Figo took a more tactical view, arguing that Portugal had lost its identity despite possessing one of the strongest squads in world football.

“I’m embarrassed watching Portugal play like that. You have one of the most talented squads in world football, yet Colombia made you look ordinary for most of the game. That’s not just a player problem; it starts with the manager.”

According to Figo, Portugal’s star players should be dominating matches rather than merely trying to survive them. He added that Portugal were fortunate not to lose to Colombia and claimed the team is showing clear tactical flaws and has lost its identity.

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