The reason Portugal’s dependence in Cristiano Ronaldo is a reason why Portugal’s dependence on him cost them
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s mediocre performance during Euro 2024, Portugal coach Martinez concentrated his team around the superstar player, which ultimately led to their Euros exile.
By Gab Marcotti
Jul 05, 2024 11:59 PM
HAMBURG, Germany — Cristiano Ronaldo stood amongst his teammates, hands on hips, lips pursed, eyes looking out into the Portuguese crowd behind the goal.
Ruben Dias as well as Nuno Mendes, the two warriors who had beaten France player Kylian Mbappe in the previous match, joined in the applause. Ronaldo took part and began to embrace Pepe who was his sidekick during many battles, the elder brother who was with his curtain call in 41. Pepe was crying, Ronaldo whispered in his the ear of Pepe.
At the time, Ronaldo looked just like the rest player from his Portugal teammates and was united in displeasure. He did not look like Cristiano Ronaldo, GOAT candidate. Perhaps If Portugal director Roberto Martinez had picked up this earlier then we’d have told the story in a different way.
It was that Martinez by playing Ronaldo for every minute of the tournament (bar the last quarter of an hour with Georgia) (barring Georgia’s final 25 minutes)was more interested in offering him opportunities after opportunities to finish another chapter of his career than offering Portugal the best chances of winning.
The figures are chilly and brutal. Ronaldo scored 23 shots during this tournament, second-highest number of shots by a player who failed to score at this tournament. Euros since the format of group stage was introduced in the year 1980. Ronaldo’s anticipated goal of 3.51 without scoring are the highest ever scored at a major tournament for men since the year 1980.
Perhaps Martinez was looking at this and thought about the fact it was Ronaldo was a star in each major tournament he participated during (five World Cups and five Euros) and thought to him: “Hey, he’s clearly due.” If that’s the case then he’s the same man who bets on Washington Generals to beat the Harlem Globetrotters because “they’re due.”
Sure, Ronaldo had just completed an impressive year with the Saudi Pro League and yes regression to a normal pace is an issue and it’s possible that over the course of time he could be able to catch up with his xG. However, the most important thing is time. This is a knockout tournament. slip up and there’s no chance of a second chance. Even the GOATs aren’t immune to dry times.
And it’s not just about the numbers, but what Martinez’s eyes and his brain were telling Martinez (or could have been telling Martinez).
Yes, he built an environment around Ronaldo which accentuated his strengths and concealed his weaknesses to the best of his ability. could. Rafael Leao, in the left wing was always high during the time Portugal was defending, which meant there was always an attacker who could play”the “out ball” if needed. Bruno Fernandes was allowed to shadow into the box, akin to an additional striker. Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo were able to provide crossings on the left. The corner kicks, which featured Pepe and Ronaldo linking up with the center-backs in the opposition, seemed to be made to be played by him.
It was successful in qualifying, and it even worked against France throughout the match (though this could be a lot to be due to Didier Deschamps’ conservative stance) because Portugal had the best chances. However, at some point surely it dawned on Martinez the extent of a burden Ronaldo’s absence mobility outside of the ball caused his midfield and the number of chances he failed to take advantage of.
It may have occurred to Ronaldo also. In the opening minute of extra time Francisco Conceicao took a shot through the opposition and swung it back towards him near the post. A younger Ronaldo would have slowed down to meet the ball, and then steered it to the corner of the goal. Old Ronaldo took it off the pitch and sailed it across the goal line.
A few minutes later, completely suddenly it was an uni-man stomping rampage and drew energy from the air and rushing towards Dayot Upadocano who then brushed him aside and kicked his ball off. In the past, Ronaldo would have gotten to the ball prior to Upamecano turned around and then buried it over Mike Maignan. In the unlikely event that they arrived simultaneously and it was Upamecano bounced off of him and not the opposite.
To take a quote from Slim Charles from “The Wire”: “The thing about the old days is… they the old days.”
The most interesting thing is that it is a boil that has already been lanced. Ronaldo was dropped from the knockout stages under Martinez’s former coach, Fernando Santos, at the Qatar World Cup just 18 months ago. If Santos was a coach for Portugal over eight seasons and included Ronaldo’s peak, had joined him as Portugal were victorious in the country’s very first (and sole) big tournament, Euro 2016 (with Ronaldo, who was wounded in the semi-final sitting next to him as an assistant coach) was able to do it, so why wouldn’t Martinez?
In particular, considering Martinez’s own history. He’s not Portuguese and didn’t grow in the Ronaldo-as-saviour-psychodrama. He’s a brilliant coach who learned the difficult way, both as an athlete and manager. He was an outsider hired to provide a new perspectives.
In reality, he appeared as a man who taken a sip of the Kool-Aid. In a game where Portugal were on top — and the credit for that goes to Martinez also, as the coach was beating Deschamps out and his trademark counter-attacking style — it appeared that Martinez was determined to not simply advancing beyond France however, but playing with Ronaldo playing a prominent role.
Did he not believe Goncalo Ramos or Diogo Jota to take them off his bench for a few minutes? Did he feel that he was waiting for Ronaldo to make amends for his missed penalty and the missed chance in the final minutes to win against Slovenia? If yes, it only will make it worse.
It’s partly because the Slovenia contest (and that 120-minute period Ronaldo played) could have shown how fatigue affects players when you’re 39. Most importantly, Ronaldo doesn’t need anyone to offer him any kind of reward (let even a chance to achieve any kind of redemption). With everything he’s achieved He’s far more than that.
Did he expect Ronaldo to go to the bench to tell the bench “Boss, I’m exhausted, it’s not happening for me today, let’s make a change?” This is absurd. Athletes of elite level thrive on self-confidence and self-belief. Ronaldo exudes it through every pores. The idea of him taking off his own game foolish.
However, Mbappe, who scored his first European Championship goal vs. Poland by way of penalty, was asked to be substituted because he was exhausted and unable to play during the extra time.
Portugal aren’t out of Euros as Ronaldo played for 120 minutes. Let’s get this straight. They were penalized because Joao Felix placed his foot against the post, and everyone else scored. They didn’t take advantage of the numerous chances they had that they had, starting with Leao during the opening half to Fernandes in the second half, and Vitinha following the break, to Mendes at the at the end of extra-time.
However, the way they leave this Euros leave a bad smell and an impression that Martinez was blind in believing that pushing Ronaldo forward could somehow safeguard his legacy.
Ronaldo’s legacy is secured. It doesn’t have to be protected. Perhaps If Martinez had realized this earlier perhaps if he’d viewed him as a mere one of his players as he did in the final moments, applauding the fans and encouraging his teammates Portugal would have made it to the finals.