The report says Goncalo Ramos entered in the 83rd minute, but Vitinha was withdrawn instead of Ronaldo. That move left Portugal without an obvious tactical reset as the team searched for a winner.
Ronaldo’s continued presence can be defended on reputation and experience. Yet when a forward is struggling to influence the match, the manager must show that the team’s needs come first. Martinez’s decision instead appeared to reinforce the impression that Ronaldo remains difficult to remove, even when the contest is drifting away from him.
The report says Ronaldo, playing at his sixth World Cup, is chasing a goal in a sixth edition of the tournament but has now gone 10 major-tournament matches without scoring. Those figures have increased the focus on his role rather than simply his selection.
Portugal’s challenge is not only whether Ronaldo starts. It is how the players around him operate. The report says Wayne Rooney criticised the lack of energy and movement beyond the striker. That points to a wider problem: Ronaldo cannot be expected to carry the attack if midfielders and wide players are not offering regular runs into dangerous areas.
Portugal’s next fixture is against Uzbekistan on Tuesday, giving Martinez little time to let the debate settle. The report says he must improve the team’s movement and attacking fluency, while also demonstrating that substitutions will be based on performance rather than status.
A sharper start would ease the pressure. Another passive display, particularly if Ronaldo again struggles to impose himself, would make the manager’s in-game decisions the story once more.