Martinez Defends Ronaldo as Portugal Draw 1-1 With
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- Portugal drew 1-1 with Congo DR at NRG Stadium in Houston, with João Neves scoring in the 6th minute before the team managed just six more shot attempts the rest of the way
- Cristiano Ronaldo played all 90 minutes with zero shots on target — the sixth time he's failed to register one at a World Cup — extending his scoreless run in major competitions to 10 consecutive games, with no non-penalty major-tournament goal since June 19, 2021
- Roberto Martinez rejected the idea of substituting Ronaldo, telling reporters: "It makes no sense to get the best goal scorer in world football out in a game that you need goals"
- Portugal have scored just one goal across their past four matches in major competitions despite Ronaldo playing nearly every minute
- Ronaldo became only the second player to appear in six World Cups, matching Lionel Messi, who achieved the feat 24 hours earlier
Why it matters: Martinez's public refusal to consider substituting Ronaldo signals Portugal's tournament strategy remains anchored on a striker who has netted just one goal across their last four major-competition matches — a dependency that could become decisive if the drought continues against Uzbekistan on Tuesday and tougher opposition beyond.
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