Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- One of Europe's most decorated managers faces a critical tactical decision ahead of Sunday's round of 16 clash.
- Substituting a legendary icon for a faster, more versatile option solved a key problem area in the previous match and could be vital against a stronger opponent.
- The next 90 minutes will test whether sentiment or strategy wins out as Portugal aims for a historic first World Cup title.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player Portugal has ever produced. But that does not mean he should be in manager Roberto Martinez's starting XI ahead of a round of 16 showdown against Spain on Sunday. If Martinez wants to get serious about leading his team to an elusive first World Cup title, he needs to drop the most popular player in his squad.
One need only look back to Portugal's 2-1 victory over Croatia in the round of 32 to see why benching Ronaldo is the right move for his nation. Yes, he did manage to score a crucial penalty that helped him end Luka Modric and Co.'s run in the tournament. He also was taken off the pitch by Martinez before Goncalo Ramos scored the goal that pushed his side through to the next round.
Portugal is a more dangerous team with Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench
Substituting Ronaldo raised plenty of eyebrows, but it was a sound tactical decision by Martinez. Swapping him for Ramos gave Portugal a No. 9 with the mobility required to really test Croatia's center backs. Perhaps more importantly, it also allowed Portugal to add an extra body in the midfield, which solved a massive problem area they struggled to deal with in the second half.
Spain will present Portugal with an even stiffer test on Monday afternoon. They simply cannot afford to deploy a striker who is one-dimensional if they want to pull off such a significant upset. Ramos may not be the natural goal scorer that Ronaldo is, but he can give his side much more when they aren't in possession.
Combining that with the talents of an additional midfielder like Ruben Neves will give Spain more to think about. Portugal will likely need to play on the counter if they're going to keep up with arguably the tournament's most star-studded squad. It's hard to imagine Ronaldo hurting Spain's back line with his lack of pace. Ramos, in sharp contrast, has the right combination of speed and movement to turn a counter attack into a crucial goal.
Will Portgual actually drop Cristiano Ronaldo against Spain?
Taking Ronaldo off against Croatia was a bold move by Martinez. It paid off with a big win for Portugal, but it's hard to imagine a scenario where he's brave enough to keep his team's biggest star out of the starting XI for what could be his last World Cup match.
The hope for Portugal fans is that their nation can stay in the game long enough for Martinez to feel comfortable taking Ronaldo off the pitch in favor of a more dynamic option up front. That formula worked against Croatia, but Portugal might not be so lucky against a far superior Spain squad.
Can Cristiano Ronaldo help Portugal off the bench?
Bringing Ronaldo on to the pitch for a relatively brief substitute stint could pay big dividends for Portugal. He should feel more comfortable expending maximum energy if he knows he's only going to play for 20 minutes as opposed to 60 or 70. That's the best way Portugal can deploy Ronaldo at the age of 41.
No matter what, Portugal enters their match against Spain as massive underdogs. They cannot afford to stand on ceremony if they want to emerge victorious. Dropping Ronaldo is the right move for Martinez, but it's difficult to envision him making such a controversial decision.
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