However, Martínez backed his captain, insisting Ronaldo’s goalscoring ability and experience remain vital.
“It made no sense at all to take off Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the best goalscorer in history, off the field when we were looking for goals,” Martínez said.
With pressure building in the group stage, Martínez and Ronaldo will be hoping for a stronger performance when Portugal face Uzbekistan in their next match.
