Roberto Martinez Declares Cristiano Ronaldo the Best Ever, Cites Daily Drive and Leadership
roberto martinez told the Portugal Football Summit podcast that Cristiano Ronaldo will be remembered as the greatest player of all time, regardless of whether he wins a World Cup, and outlined the habits and leadership that underpin his longevity. The coach’s remarks matter now as Portugal prepares for the 2026 World Cup cycle and balances intense international schedules with player welfare.
Roberto Martinez on Cristiano Ronaldo’s mentality and role
On the Portugal Football Summit podcast, Roberto Martinez emphasized Ronaldo’s daily discipline and leadership, saying he has never worked with a player who approaches each morning with the same determination to improve. Martinez argued that if the national team could retain Ronaldo forever it would simplify the integration and development of younger arrivals, and described the 41-year-old as now more of an area striker and finisher than the player who first joined the squad 21 years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup and international records
Martinez highlighted several concrete markers of Ronaldo’s career: he is the only player to score in five separate World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022), with a total of eight World Cup goals that all came in group-stage matches (one in 2006, one in 2010, one in 2014, four in 2018 and one in 2022). Three of those World Cup goals were penalties. Ronaldo has played 22 World Cup matches across those five tournaments, the fifth-highest total for any player at the finals, but has not scored in a knockout-stage match.
Al‑Nassr form and international scoring milestones
Martinez pointed to Ronaldo’s club form as evidence of his continued impact: since signing for Al‑Nassr at the end of 2022 he has scored 94 goals in 97 Saudi Pro League appearances, including 20 goals in 20 matches this season. At international level, Ronaldo has amassed 143 goals for Portugal, the highest total in men’s international football, and Martinez noted that the forward has contributed 25 goals in his last 30 matches with the national team.
Portugal’s recent Nations League success and historic results
Martinez linked Ronaldo’s influence to the squad’s broader culture of improvement that produced victory in the UEFA Nations League and a string of notable results. Portugal recorded a win in Germany that ended a 25-year drought for victories on that soil, and the Nations League final pitted the team against a European champion—experiences Martinez said strengthened the group’s confidence and competitive maturity.
World Cup context: Group K opponents and tournament demands
Looking ahead to the World Cup, Portugal are drawn in Group K to meet Uzbekistan and Colombia, and will also face the winner of a playoff path that includes DR Congo, Jamaica and New Caledonia. Martinez warned that the Nations League format—with multiple camps and decisive matches compressed into a few months—creates stresses comparable to a major international tournament, and framed preparation as the coaching staff’s responsibility: to create the conditions for players to compete at the highest level while preserving a culture of continuous improvement.
Calendar strain, recovery and squad management
roberto martinez urged firmer measures to protect players’ physical and mental health amid congested schedules, stating unequivocally that rest is non‑negotiable and that a footballer needs between three and four weeks to recover. He pointed to his own record—holding one of the best winning percentages in Portugal’s history—as evidence that careful player care is essential to sustain competitive success. Martinez also recalled the 2022 World Cup episode when his predecessor, Fernando Santos, omitted Ronaldo for the round-of-16 clash with Switzerland; Gonçalo Ramos replaced him and scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory, before Portugal were eliminated in the subsequent round.
When pressed to summarize the secret of Ronaldo’s career, Martinez gave a succinct explanation in roughly one minute, attributing the striker’s longevity and output to an unrelenting daily work ethic, precise finishing instincts and an ability to adapt his game over two decades at international level. What makes this notable is how Martinez pairs admiration for individual excellence with a reiterated call for structural care—balancing Ronaldo’s enduring value with concrete demands on recovery and squad management as Portugal prepares for the next World Cup cycle.
