"Everyone has the same ambition" - Roberto Martinez responds when asked if Cristiano Ronaldo will be a guaranteed starter for Portugal
Portugal boss Roebrto Martinez has said that like every other player in the squad, Cristiano Ronaldo wants to start. Martinez's side commece their UEFA Nations League campaign in Lisbon against Croatia on Thursday.
Ronaldo, 39, is coming off a superb start to his second full season with Al-Nassr, scoring in all four outings across competitions, registering four goals and two assists.
However, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner endured an underwhelming Euro 2024 campaign - going scoreless in five games - as Portugal lost to France on penalties in the quarter-final.
Ronaldo was expectedly named by Martinez in his side for the upcoming two Nations League games. However, the Spanish boss didn't provide a direct response to whether his captain would a guaranteed starter, replying (as per the CRT Timeline):
“He is a very important player, but in football we have a lot of competition and everyone has the same ambition. Cristiano started the season very well, and that is good."
With 130 goals, Ronaldo is the most prolific scorer in men's football but hasn't scored in his last five competitive outings. The closest he came to do so was in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 win over Slovenia, where his extra-time penalty was saved by Jan Oblak.
Ronaldo, though, redeemed himself in the shootout, burying Portugal's first penalty as the 2016 winners won 3-0 to reach the last-eight, where they lost 5-3 to France after another goalless 120 minutes.
Coming to the Nations League, Martinez's side take on Scotland on Sunday - also in Lisbon - three days after playing Croatia, who are coming off a group-stage exit at Euro 2024.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo misses out on 2024 Ballon d'Or shortlist
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the noteworthy absentees in the 2004 Ballon d'Or shortlist announced on Wednesday. It marks the second straight year the five-time winner wasn't nominated.
Ronaldo was coming off a superb first full season with Al-Nassr, scoring 44 times across competitions - including a record 35 times in the Saudi Pro League - where his side finished second, behind runaway unbeaten winners Al-Hilal.
Cristiano Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or award in 2008 with Manchester United before winning his next four awards (2013-14, 2016-17) with Real Madrid, where he enjoyed a hugely successful nine-year spell, scoring a record 450 times. That represents almost half of his career goal tally of 899 for club and country.