Martínez emphasizes Ronaldo's irreplaceable role in the Portuguese national team

 The coach of the Portuguese national team, Roberto Martínez, emphasized that Cristiano Ronaldo, even at the age of 41, remains a key figure in the squad. The Spanish coach pointed out that he sees his captain as not only a goal scorer, but also a role model for the rest of the team. – His approach is as fresh as if he was eighteen years old and just starting his adventure with the national team – said Martínez. In an interview with The Athletic, the coach explained why Ronaldo still plays a key role in the team. His value, according to the coach, goes far beyond the goals he scores. – Cristiano changed football. His dedication to the sport continues to be a role model for young players. 227 matches for the national team, 143 goals and over twenty years in the national team shirt is a legacy that is unprecedented, Martínez emphasized. The Portuguese coach drew attention to the influence Ronaldo has on the game as a striker. “His movements, timing, finishing and the way he opens up space for other players are a huge strength of this team,” Martínez added. The coach believes that with Ronaldo in the squad, Portugal will always be closer to scoring goals than losing them. Proof of Ronaldo's continued importance to the team comes from his performances in the recently concluded edition of the Nations League, where he scored in both the semi-final and final, as well as five goals in the World Cup qualifiers. However, Martínez realizes that one day the Ronaldo era will end. However, he does not see a player on the horizon who could fill this gap. – Cristiano is irreplaceable. His stats cannot be replaced by one player. This is impossible. We have to find other solutions as a team to score the same number of goals," Martínez stressed. Portugal will start the World Cup with Ronaldo on June 17, against DR Congo. The next rivals will be Uzbekistan and Colombia.