team | CNN Indonesia
Thursday, 27 Jun 2024 16:05 WIB
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to score at Euro 2024. (REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler)
Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Since the beginning Euro 2024Portugal national team coach Roberto Martinez has insisted that he will place Cristiano Ronaldo as a starter.
Martinez’s statement was proven by Ronaldo’s introduction from the first minute in three matches in Group F Euro 2024. In the first two matches against the Czech Republic and Turkey, Ronaldo even played the full 90 minutes, only when facing Georgia he was replaced in the 66th minute.
“There is no other player in the history of football who has played in six editions of the Euros. It is important to understand what a player brings. Cristiano brings experience, he provides opportunities to score goals and ways to open up space,” explained Martinez, as reported Mirror.
“Cristiano is in the national team because he deserves to be here. Just look at what he is doing and what he did in the last competition,” he stressed.
However, Martinez believes in playing Ronaldo as the main striker Selecao at Euro 2024 has yet to produce a goal. Of those three matches, Ronaldo did not even score a goal.
Not a few have questioned Martinez’s decision. The Spanish coach seemed to turn a blind eye to the fact that Ronaldo is now approaching 40 years old.
Martinez even praised Ronaldo a bit excessively after the Al Nassr player provided a perfect pass to Bruno Fernandes to score a goal into the Turkish goal, which was already empty.
“We saw something extraordinary, for me personally. In front of the goalkeeper, he (Ronaldo) gave it to Bruno Fernandes,” Martinez said on the official Euro 2024 website.
“This is an example that should be shown to every academy in Portugal and in the world of football. Because it shows that [kepentingan] “The team is the most important thing,” said the former Belgian national team coach.
Indeed, the assist to Fernandes made Ronaldo set a record by having the highest number of assists in the history of the Euro event, with a score of 8 assists.
However, from another perspective, the Ronaldo figure we know before is one who will mercilessly finish off when there is an opportunity to face a goalkeeper like that.
It was surprising to see Ronaldo choose to pass to Fernandes rather than put his name on the scoreboard. Had Ronaldo doubted himself enough to finish that chance?
Entering the round of 16, there are no signs that Ronaldo will be benched by Martinez. In fact, the reason Martinez pulled Ronaldo off in the middle of the second half of the match against Georgia was so that the 39 year old player would be fit for the next match.
On the other hand, Diogo Jota, Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix have been waiting for their chance on the bench to shine in the most prestigious football tournament on the European continent.
Martinez’s preferential treatment of Ronaldo could leave other forwards in the Portugal national team frustrated about their playing opportunities.
Martinez needs to find a solution before this becomes a time bomb in the Portuguese national team and thwarts their progress towards the Euro 2024 final.
Portugal itself will face Slovenia in the last 16 of Euro 2024. This match will be held at the Frankfurt Arena, Tuesday (2/7) early morning at 02.00 WIB.
(head/nv)
