Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘remarkable’ quality highlighted by Portugal coach Roberto Martinez

With less than a month remaining before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo appears ready to once again lead Portugal in pursuit of glory. Head coach Roberto Martinez recently shared his thoughts on the veteran forward.

“Cristiano continues to have a great desire to win and I see no sign that his level has dropped since he came to Saudi Arabia,” Martinez said during a recent interview with the German Press Agency (DPA) after attending the Saudi Pro League clash between Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

In that match, CR7 was in the starting lineup and remained on the field for 82 minutes before being replaced by Abdullah Al-Hamdan. It marked his 35th club appearance of the season across the domestic league, the King’s Cup, the AFC Champions League Two, and the Saudi Super Cup. Overall, the 41-year-old forward has recorded 28 goals and five assists.

“He is playing exceptionally well and has proven his importance to the Portuguese national team. His passion continues, even after all the successes and achievements he has reached, and having that hunger is quite remarkable,” Martinez later added.

That level of form has not only been evident with Al Nassr, as Ronaldo has also remained a key player at the international level. This season, he has played in five of Portugal’s eight matches across World Cup qualifiers and friendlies, scoring five goals. His absences came because of suspension and a hamstring injury suffered earlier this year.

Ronaldo has no special privileges with Portugal, Martinez says

Despite his superstar status and having firmly established himself as the greatest player in Portugal’s history, Cristiano Ronaldo does not receive special treatment within the national team setup, according to Roberto Martinez.

“Achievements alone are not enough to guarantee a place in the national team. It is also necessary to contribute to the team’s success,” the coach said during the same interview. “Although he is the captain and has achieved unprecedented success that demonstrates his exceptional talent, he has the same responsibilities as any other player on the national team.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s upcoming challenges

While the 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up as the biggest event of the year, and the tournament is now less than a month away, Cristiano Ronaldo remains focused on important club objectives before then.

Saturday could become a historic day for Al Nassr, as the club has a chance to secure two titles. On one hand, they will face Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final, while in the Saudi Pro League they will also be monitoring Al Hilal’s result against Neom. If Karim Benzema’s side fails to defeat Neom, Al Nassr will automatically be crowned league champions. Otherwise, the title race will be decided on Tuesday.