"Exemplary Captain" Martinez Hails Ronaldo as Football Icon After WC Exit

FIFA World Cup 2026: "Exemplary captain," Roberto Martinez hails Cristiano Ronaldo as football icon following RO16 exit

Dallas, July 7

Speaking after the match as quoted by The Athletic, Martinez said, "He has been an exemplary captain. I got to Portugal at a time when there was a lot of confusion and questions (about him). As far as his position, he has been an example in terms of the goals, but also the averages, the assists he has given in the attacks, counter-attacks."

Cristiano Ronaldo's final FIFA World Cup ended in tears of sorrow as once again, his side was shown the door. Since his debut in the 2006 edition, the most prestigious prize in football has eluded him, and after the confirmation before this match that Cristiano would be playing his last FIFA World Cup, the world might have seen Cristiano part ways with the grandest stage of his sport without the trophy, one of the greatest examples of how cruel a sport could be to one of its greatest givers.

Martinez also said that "there are not many Cristiano Ronaldos out there" and he needs to be thanked for what he has done in this WC.

"The way he commits to football, he is a role model. He is someone to celebrate. We are talking about a football icon. There are not many Cristiano Ronaldos out there. We need to thank him for what he has done this World Cup. He is a prime example of football, an athlete, and the human being that is behind that athlete," he signed off.

Since Cristiano's debut at the grandest stage, Portugal has achieved fourth place in his debut tournament in 2006, followed by a round of 16 in the 2010 edition, then a group stage exit in 2014 and then another pre-quarterfinal exit in 2018. The 2022 edition saw Portugal doing slightly better, making it to the quarterfinals, but it was his long-time rival Lionel Messi who pretty much ended the 'GOAT' debates by capturing the prestigious trophy for Argentina and delivering a sensational performance in the final.

Cristiano's FIFA World Cup career ends with 27 matches (second most by a player) and just 11 goals, underwhelming for a player of his stature and level of club accomplishments. Heading into the tournament, there were a lot of questions around Cristiano's participation, but as an individual, he had a rather decent outing, with three goals in five matches in this edition. However, during his final match, he made an unfortunate record, recording 17 shots during a FIFA WC, without creating a single chance for his teammates, the most by any player.

The ongoing tournament co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico saw Cristiano break into the record books once again despite the dips and give the world a statement of his longevity.

Against Croatia in the round of 32, a match which Portugal won 2-1, CR7 became the first player in history to feature in a FIFA World Cup knockout match at the age of 41 or older. The match also marked a unique milestone, as it was the first in World Cup history to feature two outfield players aged 40 or above, with Ronaldo facing former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric.

The appearance also saw him extend another record, as he became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout history at 41 years and 147 days, further underlining his longevity and enduring impact at the highest level. This was also his first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout goal, removing a massive stain from his illustrious career.

Portugal started off with a dull 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the group stage, with Cristiano failing to make an impact and inviting a lot of criticism with his poor performance.

During the match against Uzbekistan, a 5-0 win, Ronaldo led Portugal's charge with two goals, while Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao also found the net. An own goal involving Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov further compounded the misery for Fabio Cannavaro's side as Roberto Martinez's men secured their first win of the tournament in emphatic fashion.

Ronaldo's brace saw him become Portugal's all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history, taking his tally to 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio's record of nine. Eusebio, a Portuguese legend and 1965 Ballon d'Or winner, famously guided the team to third place at the 1966 World Cup. Behind Ronaldo and Eusebio, Pauleta is third on Portugal's World Cup scoring list with four goals.

Ronaldo also became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments, ending his 10-match goalless streak across major competitions (the FIFA World Cup and the Euro Championship). Portugal ended their group stage with an underwhelming goalless draw against Colombia.

— ANI