Portugal coach Roberto Martínez has said Cristiano Ronaldo is fit enough to repeatedly play full 90-minute games at Euro 2024, praising his experience and athleticism.
Ronaldo, 39, played the entire game in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Czechia in the Euro 2024 opener, but did not score.
Asked before Friday's game against Turkey whether it makes sense to play Ronaldo for 90 minutes, Martínez told a news conference: “Do you know how many minutes Cristiano played last season? He has experience, there was no other player in the squad. football history”. with six Euro Cups played.
“It is important to understand what a player brings. Cristiano brings experience, he brings scoring opportunities, a way of opening spaces. Cristiano is in the national team because he deserves to be here, just look at what he has done and what he has.” done in the last competitions.”
Ronaldo scored a Saudi Pro League record 35 goals for Al Nassr in his first full campaign at the club and is the all-time leading scorer in men's international football with 130 goals.
Martínez said he was very impressed by Ronaldo's latest performance.
“He was very disciplined, he worked hard and he's a killer, a very important infielder,” Martinez said. “He opens space. When Francisco [Conceicao] He scored, space opened up because Cristiano was in the area. “We work concentrated and Cristiano is important for us in what we try to do in the area.”
Conceicao, 21, was a surprise inclusion in Portugal's squad for Euro 2024, having made his national debut in a friendly in March.
Martínez was asked if Conceicao, who scored the winning goal against the Czech Republic, deserves to start against Turkey.
“We have 23 field players, 10 that enter the starting 11 and a team that finishes the game,” Martínez said. “The important thing is that everyone is ready when they are called. In the last game we saw that. Francisco came in and showed why he is in the selection“.
Turkey beat Georgia 3-1 in their first match, and Real Madrid's Arda Güler broke Ronaldo's record from 2004 when, at 19 years and 114 days, he became the youngest player to score on his Euro debut .
“We know that Arda Güler is a sensational talent, she has an extraordinary future,” Martínez said. “He is a very efficient player, I like teams that give space to younger players and it is great to see him play. It was a great moment, but we want to win and we are going to achieve it.
“I don't agree that this match is going to be easier than our first match, there are no easy matches in a European championship.”
However, Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella said later on Friday that Güler is “not 100% physically” and will be evaluated before the match in Dortmund.
Montella did not reveal exactly what was wrong with Guler.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
