Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Portugal against Turkey at Euro 2024 tonight?
Cristiano Ronaldo is likely start when Portugal take on Turkey in their second game at Euro 2024 on Saturday, June 22. The 2016 winners will want to build on their victory against Czech Republic and strengthen their position in Group F.
Ronaldo had a relatively underwhelming outing against Czechia, failing to score in his side's 2-1 victory. Roberto Martinez's side needed an injury-time winner from Francisco Conceicao to secure all three points.
Cristiano Ronaldo's place in Portugal's playing XI has once again come under question. Martinez, though, reiterated the importance of Ronaldo in the starting XI and said that the whole team need to support the Al-Nassr star for him to come good.
Before the game against Turkey at Euro 2024, Roberto Martinez was quoted as saying (via Fox News):
"We are focused on what we want to do and Cristiano is very important for us. He is important for us in the box, but the most important thing is for us to get into the box.
"We don't play direct football to our striker. We don't want one player in the box. We want four, five or six players moving to get close to the striker."
Judging from Roberto Martinez's words, it's likely that Ronaldo will keep his place in the starting lineup for Portugal's game against Turkey. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was partnered by Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leao in attack against the Czech Republic.
A Selecao, though, have options to choose from to mix things up against Turkey. They have a plethora of attacking personnel to choose from, including Diogo Jota, Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix.
Portugal and Turkey both won their opening games at Euro 2024. Turkey secured a thrilling 3-1 win over Georgia and are atop Group F on goal difference.
How did Cristiano Ronaldo perform in Portugal's opening game at Euro 2024?
Cristiano Ronaldo opened his Euro 2024 campaign by going 90 minutes without a goal contribution. However, this form with Al-Nassr during the 2023-24 season suggests that the Portugal skipper has plenty to offer up front.
Ronaldo had three shots on target against the Czech Republic, missing one big chance. He ended the game with a pass completion rate of 100 percent, having completed all 22 of his attempts. Cristiano Ronaldo, though, lost possession four times and was also caught offside on three occasions.
It's pertinent to note that Ronaldo is the top goalscorer in the history of the UEFA European Championship. He has scored 14 goals and provided nine assists in 26 matches. Euro 2024 is the sixth consecutive time he has played the showpiece tournament, a record for ny player.