He was criticized by all, Martinez explains why he left Ronaldo in the field for 90 minutes.

Portugal stopped at a surprising 1-1 draw against the Congo in Houston, while Ronaldo played all 90 minutes without having the usual impact on the game. This has sparked criticism from fans and analysts, who have questioned his country in the title formation.

The attention was great to the Portuguese captain, who became the oldest field player in World Cup history at the age of 41 and 132 days. However, the historical record was not accompanied by a expected outlook, as Al-Nasr's star remained largely isolated and without influence in the Portuguese attack.

While Lionel Messi shone the day before with a het-trick against Algeria, Ronaldo found it difficult to find space and risk the opposing gate against the Congoles.

Although Portugal desperately sought the goal of victory, Martinez decided not to replace Ronaldo. The Spanish coach stressed that the captain's presence in the field remains an important tactical weapon for the team.

It doesn't make sense to take the best goalist out of the world football game at a game where you need goals. At such moments, Cristiano Ronaldo's experience within the area is very important”, Martinez said.

His ability to attract opposing defenders is very valuable. The way we can use the spaces that he makes is also important. Each player has his own responsibilities and qualities, but when you're looking for goals, you need Cristino Ronaldon”, he added.

As the tour continues, attention to Martinez' decision to trust Ronaldo is expected to grow even further, especially ahead of future challenges to Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K.