Roberto Martinez admits Portugal 'frustration' as Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup role debated

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Portugal boss Roberto Martinez has admitted to a sense of 'frustration' within their camp after their disappointing FIFA World Cup opening draw -Credit:SOPA Images, SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images


Roberto Martinez acknowledges that Portugal are experiencing "the feeling of frustration" after their FIFA World Cup opener, as debates surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo continue to overshadow their campaign.

Portugal secured a 1-1 draw with DR Congo to kick off their World Cup journey last week, with Yoane Wissa's strike equalizing Joao Neves' opening goal. Ronaldo spearheaded the attack at his sixth World Cup, still competing at 41 years old.

His position as a starter remains polarizing, particularly as his goalless streak at major tournaments stretched to a 10th match. He squandered multiple opportunities to restore Portugal's advantage, and his approach is viewed as limiting the effectiveness of his teammates, as per The Mirror.

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Martinez said: "He's an example, as a captain and he's reacted as a captain, with a lot of experience. He wants to contribute, and he's a role model for our team.

"He's probably the biggest example of how to recover, how to train. But that doesn't take away the feeling of frustration we all have, as a team."

Portugal's talent-laden roster positioned them among the pre-tournament favorites, but their performance against the African nation has highlighted concerns about their approach and whether deploying Ronaldo truly maximizes their other players' potential.

Martinez emphasizes Portugal are "united" and "stronger" heading into their World Cup clash with Uzbekistan in Houston on Tuesday, but failure to defeat the underdogs would invite even more intense scrutiny.

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He said: "We're playing a World Cup, of course, there's a lot of noise, a lot of tension, it's part of the game. Our focus is on the team. We're more united than before we arrived. There's no tension."

Former Manchester City star Joao Cancelo has acknowledged that Portugal fell short in certain areas during their World Cup opener. "We didn't create chances, and that isn't normal in a team like ours," he said on Monday.

"We have high-quality players, among the best in the world, and we have to show that on the pitch. Tomorrow, only winning counts. We don't have any margin for error."

Meanwhile, goalscorer Neves has faced significant backlash online following his post-game comment that Ronaldo was "just another player, here to help."

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