Portugal manager Roberto Martinez lauded the impact of experienced duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe in his side’s 3-0 win over Turkiye.
The pair, who have 1,750 club appearances between them, rolled back the years in Dortmund. Faced with a two-on-one in the second half, Ronaldo unselfishly chose to square the ball to Bruno Fernandes to cement the Selecao’s lead. At the opposite end of the pitch, the 41-year-old Pepe completed 83 minutes, partnering with Ruen Dias to record a routine clean sheet.
Martinez has lauded both players for their professionalism, claiming that they set the standard not just for Portuguese football, but for the sport as a whole.
“For a neutral watching the game and seeing Pepe playing, you would never believe that he is 41 years old,” said Martinez, who took over the team in January 2023. “He is an example, a professional. The way he reads the game, the way he competes, he is a wonderful example for Portuguese football and for football in general.”
He also had high praise for Ronaldo’s assist, which he feels highlighted the player’s maturity and experience.
“I think we saw something today that for me is spectacular,” he said. “To have Cristiano, who is an out-and-out goal scorer, he gets in front of the keeper and he looks for the assist to Bruno Fernandes.
“That is a pure moment of Portuguese football. That is an example that should be shown in every academy in Portugal and in the world of football, that the team is the most important thing. That assist probably means more than scoring any goal.”
Looking ahead to the remainder of the tournament, Portugal’s victory today confirmed their progression to the knockout stages, and Martinez believes that his squad’s flexibility means they are a difficult opposition for anyone.
“The players can play five at the back, four at the back, different solutions in order to help their individual talent shine through. That is why its very important to work hard at practice and during the preparation stages. The players have to be tactically flexible and that is very tough when national teams play.”
Portugal will complete their group stage campaign on Wednesday, when they will face Georgia in Gelsenkirchen.
FEATURED IMAGE: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/GETTY IMAGES VIA ONE FOOTBALL
