Cristiano Ronaldo and Roberto Martínez: The Final Dance Was a Slow One

Portugal's 2026 World Cup campaign ended in the Round of 16, a premature exit for many, with only one memorable performance: their second match against a less-than-formidable Uzbekistan. Almost everything else was a mix of disappointment and a touch of luck, as seen against Croatia. Roberto Martínez could attempt his usual optimistic spin to find positives in this showing, but an entire generation can—and should—demand much more from him.

Yesterday's final score doesn't even reflect the disparity in ambition. Spain played like a true contender, growing into the game until the inevitable goal, making the necessary adjustments to get there. Portugal, on the other hand, seemed content to avoid defeat, dropping deep and hoping a cross would somehow compensate for the chronic flaw of the team being less than the sum of its parts.

If you believe journalists are out to get someone, then listen to Bruno Fernandes's words after the match, just as you should have heard Bernardo Silva's after the Round of 32. It's not enough to have the world's best players; you have to play like the world's best.

Roberto Martínez's tenure has concluded, and as A BOLA reported last night in its online edition, Pedro Proença now has his sights set on Jorge Jesus. It's almost a divine intervention, but only after this World Cup was seemingly left to fate. The national coach may have made many errors, but it's unlikely he'll admit to any (not even choosing the tournament's tougher bracket?).

Cristiano Ronaldo bid farewell to the world's biggest stage with another 90 minutes that didn't do justice to his own legendary career. We'll never know what this World Cup could have been with a courageous coach or a captain with a clearer vision. After the fanfare against Uzbekistan and Croatia, and the evasiveness after the DR Congo and Colombia matches, his final dance turned out to be a slow one. Now, only his friend Donald Trump could attempt to reverse Portugal's elimination...

When I wrote this opinion piece, the USA-Belgium match hadn't concluded, but unfortunately, we now know there was political interference in lifting Balogun's suspension. Infantino's FIFA showing worrying subservience to Donald Trump is nothing new, but interfering with the rules of this sport we love is a red line that has been crossed in plain sight. The 2026 World Cup has already delivered great games and epic protagonists we won't forget; it didn't need this embarrassment.