Roberto Martinez explains why Cristiano Ronaldo is still in the Portugal team at the age of 39

Roberto Martinez says Cristiano Ronaldo is in Portugal's Euro 2024 squad 'for good' after being left out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The player who played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, who plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, is preparing to play in his sixth European Championship, and Portugal will start their campaign against Czechia on Monday night.

Ronaldo was benched late in Portugal's run at the 2022 World Cup, under former coach Fernando Santos, as a substitute for the round of 16 and quarter-finals.

But Martinez sees Ronaldo as a key figure in the Portugal squad, and revealed to reporters why he still believes in the 39-year-old.

“Cristiano is in the national team by right. No one enters the national team just by having a name,” said Martinez. “Cristiano scored 50 goals in 51 games, alongside his team in his league, and scored nine goals in our qualifying rounds.

“He is a goalscorer and for us he is someone who can take the last step. He can stretch defenders and open spaces. Over the years he has changed his style of play a bit, but I can only say that Cristiano is in the national team, the fitness and the numbers are there to support that.”

Ronaldo's absence from the World Cup sparked rumors that he is retiring from international football – especially as Portugal have a young and talented squad – but he is among a group that includes Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, Diogo Jota, Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceicao.

The only player to score in five consecutive European Championships, Ronaldo has more goals than any other player in the competition's history. He got Portugal's 14th goal, famously leading his country to victory in 2016 despite suffering an injury in the final.

Apart from Czechia, Turkey and Georgia are the other two countries that make up Group F in Euro 2024.

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