Martinez hails Portugal’s depth after emphatic victory seals World Cup spot without Ronaldo

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez praised his players for demonstrating leadership and ruthlessness in Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence as they demolished Armenia 9-1 to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Ronaldo is suspended after his red card in Thursday’s shock 2-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland, but his teammates answered any doubts in spectacular style, producing Portugal’s largest ever victory in World Cup qualifying history.

Roberto Martinez emphasized that Portugal’s strength goes far beyond any single player, including Cristiano Ronaldo.

He explained that when discussing individuals, the focus should not only be on Ronaldo but on the entire squad, pointing out that there are 10 outfield players besides the goalkeeper, making 25 in total, and each brings something unique to the team.

Martinez noted that public opinion tends to revolve around Ronaldo: when he scores, people question what the team will do without him and talk of dependency; when the team wins without him, some say he is not needed.

He stressed that there is a clear difference between popular street debate and the competitive atmosphere inside the dressing room.

The manager highlighted that leadership was the key factor in the 9-1 victory, with Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Dias, and Bernardo Silva playing particularly important roles.

He added that leadership is not limited to one player but is shared among several, and pointed out that even Nuno Mendes, whom he described as the best left-back, did not feature in the match, yet the team still scored nine goals and created many more chances.

Bruno Fernandes and young midfielder João Neves both scored stunning hat-tricks, while Renato Veiga, Gonçalo Ramos, and Francisco Conceição also found the net in a rampant display.

It marked Fernandes’ first-ever treble for Portugal and Neves’ first senior international goals, a remarkable breakthrough for the 20-year-old Benfica star.

Speaking after the match, Martinez hailed the collective response: “This shows the quality and personality we have in the squad. The players stepped up when it mattered and proved we can be lethal even without our captain and all-time leading scorer.”

The result confirms Portugal’s place at a 10th World Cup and a seventh consecutive tournament.

Next summer’s finals, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, are widely expected to be 40-year-old Ronaldo’s final major international competition.

Portugal’s best World Cup finish remains third place in 1966, but Martinez has bold ambitions: “We’re going there to win it. Tonight showed what this group is capable of.”