Martinez on Ronaldo's Absence During 9-1 Win: Mendes Didn't Play Either—Should We Never Select Him Again?
In the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers, Portugal thrashed Armenia 9-1. After successfully leading the Portugal national team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals, Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez gave an interview to Camel Live, discussing topics related to the national team.
On Portugal’s 9-1 Thrashing of Armenia Without Ronaldo
What matters most is that we can still win when key players are absent from the national team—and this time we did it successfully. It was a highly significant response, showing strong leadership within the team, and I greatly appreciate how we controlled the game.
Everyone is talking about us scoring 9 goals without Ronaldo. But let’s not forget: Ronaldo has scored 25 goals in his last 30 matches, and no other forward can reach that level. We also beat Armenia 9-1 without Nuno Mendes—does that mean we’ll never select Nuno Mendes again? The key is that when important players are absent, the team must have countermeasures, and the courage and leadership to win.
On Ronaldo Being Criticized for Missing the Match Against Armenia at Estádio do Dragão
I want to distinguish between leadership and dedication. I believe no one will question Ronaldo’s dedication to the national team—he is a role model, and no other player has served the national team for 21 years.
Our approach is to use the players selected in the national team squad to help the team win. Players not in the squad have different focuses and ideas from the rest of the team, so non-selected players do not stay in the training camp or get close to the team. This allows the selected players to focus on winning for Portugal. The leadership shown by Ronaldo deserves more respect, as everyone has been talking about in recent days.
On Ronaldo Visiting the White House and Being Received by U.S. President Donald Trump
I’m glad we qualified for the World Cup, because it would have been a pity if we saw Ronaldo go to the White House but Portugal missed out on the World Cup (laughs). But this is great—Ronaldo is an ambassador for Portugal. He is much more than a football player and can play a huge role beyond football. It’s a joyful day for all Portuguese people to see a Portuguese ambassador enter the White House. No matter where he is, Ronaldo represents the national team and the Portuguese people.
On Criticism from Portuguese Fans
This is completely normal. I think when the team loses, all our sadness comes from our love for the national team. The national team belongs to each of us, so criticism and doubts are inevitable. What I don’t like is unfounded criticism or rumors—there’s a difference. Some people maliciously attack the national team when we lose, but I think the team’s response, result and performance against Armenia fully demonstrated the strength of the players in the training camp and proved that we have a national team to be proud of.
On the Confidence Given by Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proença
I must thank the president and the management for their support and strength, which allows me to continue my work. My job is always to try to improve the team’s strength, integrate our experience, and then achieve the qualification goal. We won the UEFA Nations League, and now we will go all out for the World Cup. The team is constantly growing, and the progress is very remarkable.
On the Fact That Portugal Has Never Won the World Cup
I think this is the difference between a title favorite and a team that believes it can win the championship. The situation is different—Portugal is not a favorite. Favorites are usually teams that have already won the World Cup, but we still think we can fight for it and cherish the dream of winning the championship.
However, being a favorite is another matter. We need to make tremendous efforts, because in the knockout stage, we sometimes have to believe that we can beat teams that have won the World Cup. This is crucial. We have successfully qualified for the first step; next, we need to be mentally prepared. We believe we can compete with teams that hold the World Cup trophy.
On the Possible Match Against Mexico Next Year
I can’t reveal anything yet because it’s not confirmed, but I really hope to play against a non-UEFA team. I’m eager to experience playing in high altitude and high humidity conditions. This is my idea as a coach—I also need to consider jet lag, the characteristics of teams from other confederations, high altitude and climate conditions, etc. I watched the FIFA Club World Cup this summer and found that there are many important factors we need to deal with. March would be the perfect time for such a match, but nothing is confirmed yet.
