Cristiano Ronaldo believes manager Roberto Martinez can improve the team if he’s given more time.
Ronaldo’s comments came after Portugal’s last-gasp win over Iceland in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier on Tuesday.
In his 200th appearance for his country, the Portugal captain scored the only goal of the game in the 89th minute.
After the game, Cristiano Ronaldo said: “It (reaching 200 appearances) is a source of pride. (We need to) give time to our manager, who has done an excellent job, to continue to impose his ideas.
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‘It is giving him time so that things can go even better.”
Roberto Martinez joined Portugal in January after they parted ways with Fernando Santos after a disappointing 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign in Qatar.
The former Everton manager, meanwhile, was fired by Belgium, who also struggled at the Qatar World Cup in December last year.
Martinez has overseen four matches, all in Euro 2024 qualifying, at the helm of A Selecao thus far. His reign as manager began with a 4-0 win over Liechtenstein, which was followed by a 6-0 win against Luxembourg, both in March.
Before the 1-0 win over Iceland, Martinez’s side also beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0, through Bruno Fernandes’ brace.
Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored in all but one of Portugal’s games under Roberto Martinez. The former Manchester United star scored braces vs Liechtenstein and Luxembourg before getting the winner against Iceland.
