When Portugal open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against DR Congo on Wednesday, June 17, Cristiano Ronaldo will be among the first names Roberto Martinez writes on his teamsheet — and the Portugal head coach insists that has nothing to do with sentiment.

At 41, Ronaldo is preparing for his sixth World Cup and 12th major tournament. Yet Martinez is emphatic: the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's place in the squad is earned on merit, not legacy.

Martinez's case for Ronaldo

"For us, Cristiano's role is very specific and very clear," Martinez told FourFourTwo. "He's our primary goalscorer. He opens up space brilliantly with his movement inside the box — the timing, the positioning, the runs he makes across defenders are among the best in the world, even now."

Martinez also points to what Ronaldo brings beyond the physical. "He brings experience in decisive moments that nobody else in the squad can match, because none have lived what he has in the number of decisive games he's played over his career."

The captain's armband, in Martinez's view, reflects something very much alive rather than honorary. "His commitment to Portugal is total, absolute and strong even today — not historical. That's why he remains our captain. He's scored 25 goals in 30 matches under my management. The numbers make the argument for him. Our standard for selection is identical for every single player, and it's very high. Cristiano meets it. He's not in the squad because of what he was, but because his present form earns it every time."

A generational span unlike any other

Ronaldo enters this summer's North American tournament with 226 international caps to his name, having made his Portugal debut in 2003 — before some of his current squad-mates, including Joao Neves, were even born.

"It's one of the most remarkable things about this group, and something I find genuinely fascinating as a coach," said Martinez, who previously managed Everton and Belgium. "Cristiano Ronaldo has been wearing the shirt since 2003. There are players in our current squad who were born in 2004. That generational span is almost unprecedented in international football at this level."

Far from viewing the age gap as a tension to manage, Martinez sees it as one of the squad's great strengths. "The ball equalises everything. The ball doesn't know about age gaps, eras, or generations. The young player learns from the experienced one — not only technically or tactically, but in terms of how you carry yourself in the biggest moments, how you manage pressure, and how you approach the days before a decisive game."

"The experienced player," he added, "finds new energy in the presence of younger players who remind them of how it felt to be starting out."