Cristiano Ronaldo has secured his spot in the Portugal squad for Euro 2024 “on merit,” according to head coach Roberto Martinez.
Ronaldo, set to become the first player to participate in six European Championships, was previously benched by former coach Fernando Santos during the 2022 World Cup, sparking speculation about his potential retirement from international football.
Since then, Ronaldo has moved from Europe to play for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. After netting 50 goals for Al Nassr last season, the 39-year-old has been selected for Euro 2024 in Germany. Martinez affirmed that Ronaldo’s selection is well-deserved.
“Cristiano is in the national team on merit,” Martinez told a news conference on Monday ahead of Portugal’s opening Group F game against Czechia. “Nobody gets into the national team by just having a name. Cristiano scored 50 goals in 51 games—consistent with his club in his league—and he scored nine goals in our qualification rounds.
“He’s a goal scorer and for us, he’s someone who can make that final move. He can stretch defences and open spaces. Over the years, he has changed his way of playing slightly, but I can only say that Cristiano is in the national team on merit and the numbers are there to back that up.”
Ronaldo, Portugal’s captain, is poised to start against Czechia in Leipzig after showcasing his fitness with a full 90-minute performance in the final warm-up game against Ireland.
He scored twice in a 3-0 victory, bringing his international goal tally to 130 in 207 appearances for the national team.
“He represents inspiration; he represents that everything is possible,” teammate Rúben Dias said of Ronaldo. “He represents that you can dream and you can achieve it. He represents a lot of things, but mainly, I would like to say that it’s a pleasure to have him with us.
“More than all these little things, his being with us in this moment of his career shows that he really wants to win again. He’s our captain and we follow him until the end.”