Cristiano Ronaldo’s importance to Portugal has rarely been questioned, but his playing time during the 2026 FIFA World Cup reportedly created a difficult dilemma for head coach Roberto Martinez. Former assistant coach Ricardo Carvalho has now offered insight into those discussions, revealing that he had a different approach in mind when it came to managing the veteran forward.
Speaking to former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, Carvalho discussed the challenges of coaching a player who remained determined to play every minute despite being 41. While Ronaldo’s fitness and competitive mentality were never in doubt, the former defender believes Portugal could have benefited from a different decision during certain matches.
Mikel directly questioned whether Martinez should have been braver and taken Ronaldo off for the benefit of the team. Carvalho agreed, making it clear that he would have handled the situation differently. “In my opinion, he [Roberto Martínez] should have taken him off,” Carvalho admitted.
He explained that Ronaldo’s personality made the decision particularly complicated, as the captain always believed he could produce something decisive. “If you know him, he’s a player who always wants to play. He was successful because he always wants to be there, because he feels he can score.”
Roberto Martinez, Head Coach of Portugal, speaks to players at the hydration break.
Ronaldo’s confidence remained central to the situation. Whether presented with an opportunity from open play or a free kick, the forward continued to believe he could influence the result, making it difficult for Martinez to convince him that his involvement should end.
What made the decision more complicated
Carvalho also suggested that Martinez was influenced by everything Ronaldo had contributed to Portugal over the previous three or four years. The coach wanted to recognize the captain’s importance and allow him to continue pursuing personal and collective ambitions. “Roberto wants to pay him back,” Carvalho explained, referring to the manager’s apparent desire to reward Ronaldo for his service to the national team.
One example came during Portugal’s 5-0 group-stage victory over Uzbekistan, when Ronaldo had already scored twice, and Martinez considered substituting him. According to Carvalho, the captain was reluctant to leave because he wanted to add more goals to his tally. “I’ve only just started scoring goals; I want more,” Ronaldo reportedly told the coach.
That response reflected the mentality that has driven the forward throughout his career and his pursuit of the 1,000-goal milestone. However, Carvalho pointed out that Portugal also had other attacking players who needed opportunities, particularly with 26 players in the squad.
Carvalho reveals what he would have done differently
The former Chelsea and Real Madrid defender believes experience should have encouraged Martinez to recognize when Ronaldo’s energy was beginning to decline. Even if the forward still felt capable of making an impact, Carvalho argued that his physical condition could eventually affect his contribution.
Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal speaks with Assistant Coach Ricardo Carvalho
“From my experience, when you get older, the later you come off, the worse it is, because you get more tired, you don’t arrive on time,” he explained. The ex-defender ultimately made his preferred approach clear, admitting: “I would have made the decision to substitute him. But it was up to Roberto to decide, and I think he’s happy with his choices.”
He also recalled that Portugal had substituted Ronaldo only once during that period, against Croatia, when Goncalo Ramos entered the match and scored. The situation highlighted the challenge of balancing the captain’s influence with the need to give other forwards meaningful playing time.
