Roberto Martinez has hit back at suggestions that Cristiano Ronaldo should have been given a breather during Portugal's final group fixture, insisting it would be "childish" to draw comparisons between his talisman's situation and the decisions taken by other nations regarding their own marquee forwards.

Ronaldo completed the full 90 minutes of Saturday's 0-0 draw with Colombia at Miami Gardens, meaning the 41-year-old has featured for every single minute of Portugal's three Group K matches — a total of 270 minutes at the 2026 World Cup. While Norway opted to rest Erling Haaland and Argentina gave Lionel Messi a break in their respective group finales, Martinez was unequivocal in his view that no such calculation was required with Ronaldo.

"We don't compare with other players of other teams," Martinez said post-match. "That would be childish. Cristiano is used to being in the right place at the right time. It's more a question of mentally being strong and always being disciplined in position and always opening space in our attacking patterns."

The Portugal boss acknowledged that a change might come in the next round — "maybe the next game we need to make a change, but that's like any other player" — while pointing to the broader squad management picture. Portugal have used 21 outfield players across the group stage, and Martinez noted that the likes of João Neves, Rúben Neves, Diogo Dalot and João Cancelo were each restricted to 45 minutes against Colombia precisely because different positions carry different physical demands.

The stalemate against Colombia, however, has come at a cost to Portugal's tournament positioning. The South Americans topped Group K, leaving Portugal as runners-up and sending them into a round-of-32 tie against Croatia in Toronto on Thursday. A heavier price may still follow: should Portugal progress, they could well face Euro 2024 winners Spain in the last 16 — a considerably sterner test than they might have faced as group winners.

Martinez was candid that the group stage had been a period of calibration rather than peak performance, framing the three fixtures as necessary groundwork ahead of the knockout rounds proper.

"Now it's time to adjust, improve, and steer the matches where we want them, with more possession and better control," he said. "This is part of the World Cup, part of the existing tactics, and as I said, we needed these three matches to reach our best level. It was a very valuable match. We want to be here for eight matches and it is a different tournament now."

Not everyone was convinced by the output, though. Ronaldo offered little by way of genuine threat against the Colombians, and questions around whether carrying him for 270 unbroken minutes — with a round of 32 tie against Croatia now looming on Thursday — represents shrewd man-management or a risk to Portugal's wider ambitions will only intensify if performances do not improve sharply.

Martinez, though, remains settled in his conviction. Portugal are through. The tournament, by his telling, starts now.

What Comes Next for Portugal

  • Round of 32: Portugal vs Croatia, Toronto, Thursday
  • Potential round of 16: A likely meeting with Euro 2024 champions Spain awaits if both sides advance
  • Ronaldo's workload: Martinez hinted at possible rotation but stopped short of committing to resting the forward

Frequently asked

Has Ronaldo played every minute of Portugal's 2026 World Cup group stage?
Yes. Cristiano Ronaldo has featured for the full 90 minutes in all three of Portugal's Group K matches, totalling 270 minutes at the 2026 World Cup.
Who do Portugal play in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup?
Portugal face Croatia in Toronto on Thursday after finishing as Group K runners-up following their 0-0 draw with Colombia.
Why didn't Portugal rest Ronaldo like Argentina rested Messi?
Coach Roberto Martinez said he does not make decisions based on what other teams do with their players, calling such comparisons "childish". He insists Ronaldo is mentally and physically capable of playing every minute of the campaign.