Is Cristiano Ronaldo still Portugal captain? Roberto Martinez outlines leadership plan for road to Euro 2024
At 38 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo remains a member of Portugal's squad, but is the renowned forward still captain of his country under Roberto Martinez?
WHAT OCCURED? Following a dismal quarter-final loss to Morocco in the 2022 World Cup, the Portuguese have made a coaching change, with Euro 2016 winner Fernando Santos ending his eight-year tenure. Martinez, the former Belgium manager, is now in charge, and one of the major issues he confronts is deciding what to do with Ronaldo.
WHAT THEY SAID: Despite the fact that Ronaldo was benched at times in Qatar and is now playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Martinez believes the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will be a leader in his group. “At the moment, the guys with greater experience and international caps are the captains: Ronaldo, Rui Patricio, and Bernardo Silva,” the Spaniard remarked. They will serve as team leaders.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo has 196 caps for Portugal, scoring a record-breaking 118 goals along the way, and is hoping to continue his career, with Euro 2024 qualification scheduled to begin on Thursday with a home match against Liechtenstein.
WHAT COMES NEXT? Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in 2003, marking his 20th year as a senior international player. He has also scored goals at club level since moving to the Middle East after being released by Manchester United.
