Roberto Martínez has spoken openly about how Portugal will manage Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2026 World Cup, stressing that the approach will be "very natural".
As the Portuguese legend prepares for what is expected to be his final appearance on the world stage, the national team coach has made it clear that traditional methods of managing players at club level will not be applied at the tournament.
Portugal's coach has dismissed concerns about Ronaldo's physical management ahead of the World Cup.
After the release of the list for the tournament, Martínez stressed that the management of the Al-Nassr striker is proceeding without complications and without imposed structures.
When asked about the veteran's minutes and physical condition, he expressed himself clearly.
"Management is done very naturally. In a World Cup there is no model that follows the club, age, there are no things like that. Everyone is focused and we have to manage it well day after day, that's all," the coach told the media.
Martínez also highlighted the difference between the way of managing in clubs and in short tournaments like the World Cup.
While club coaches must think about fatigue over a long season, the World Cup requires a more immediate and flexible approach, based on the current moment rather than biological age.
The former Everton and Belgium manager said: "We can talk about a lot of dreams, but we only have three games to go, this is our World Cup. And we have to manage them in the best possible way."
Since taking charge of Portugal, Martínez has worked closely with Ronaldo and the core of the squad.
He emphasized that the data and rapport built over the last two years are key to managing the team during the North American tour.
"Then we have a lot of information, we are talking about almost 40 matches together. Now it's about managing the group during the World Cup, something natural," he concluded./Express newspaper/
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