Portugal boss explains why Cristiano Ronaldo is still a guaranteed starter as ban lifted

Tom Weber

• 25 Nov 2025 11:20 CST
• 4 min read

News

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has revealed why Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is still a guaranteed starter for his country at 40 years of age.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner continues to score prolifically at club level, netting a stunning bicycle kick against Al-Khaleej at the weekend. Ronaldo has scored 10 goals in nine Saudi Pro League appearances this term.

Despite his advanced age, the Portuguese legend remains one of the first names on the team sheet for his country, although he did make negative headlines in the previous international break when he received his first international red card against the Republic of Ireland.

This red card could have resulted in a ban for Portugal's first two matches at the upcoming 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico, but FIFA has now announced that Ronaldo's extended ban has been suspended 'under a one-year probation period.'

This means that as long as he does not commit another punishable offence, he will be allowed to partake in Portugal's World Cup campaign from the start, in what is a big boost for head coach Roberto Martinez.

Martinez: Ronaldo has the biggest hunger I've seen

The former Everton manager appeared on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football for a punditry assignment when his former club played Ronaldo's former employer, Man Utd.

Following Everton's shock 1-0 win, which included one of the most bizarre red cards in league history, Martinez was quizzed about the 40-year-old and why he is still a guaranteed starter for Portugal.

"I think everyone has an opinion," Martinez explained. "When we win, and Cristiano scores the goal or the two goals, the question in the press is: ‘What are you going to do when Ronaldo’s not there? The team depends on Cristiano too much.’

"When he doesn’t score, it’s: ‘How are you going to win when you’ve got a 40-year-old in the team?’ For us, it’s easier than that. He plays because he’s scored 25 goals in the last 13 games.

"His record is incredible. When he walks into the training camp, he’s an example of professionalism. He looks after himself and uses every day to become better. And then he’s got that pride of playing for the national team. He’s the only player in history to play 227 games.

"It goes down to his behaviour now. Nobody has anything given to them. Every player has an incredible competitive edge, and what Cristiano brings, alongside that goal scoring, is his attitude.

"He’s hungry for the national team, and while he has that, it’s an incredible source of positive, contagious effect in the dressing room. Everyone gets constantly challenged by the competition in the squad. At the moment, Cristiano is a reference to us."

Asked how long Ronaldo could keep playing for Portugal, Martinez said: "I always believed that the body retired the player. When I’ve seen Cristiano work, I’m convinced that it’s the brain that retires the player.

"His body follows his routine. He scored in the 96th minute [for Al-Nassr], I can tell you that after the game, he will have done his post-match routine and prepared for the next training session.

"He doesn’t do it for anyone else, he does it for himself. We never analyse the hunger, and he’s got the biggest hunger that I’ve seen in a player. He’s got a hunger not to let himself down and what he represents."

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