Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury just ahead of the World Cup has raised questions about his participation but bringing a relief, coach Roberto Martinez confirmed he will be absent in the international friendlies only. Cristiano Ronaldo has faced a muscle injury while playing for Al Nassr, he has already begun his rehab in Saudi Arabia and as per sources his return will take longer than expected. For that reason, Ronaldo will miss the clash against Mexico on March 28 and the United States on March 31.

What does Martinez say?

Roberto Martinez clarified about the situation with Ronaldo and said as quoted by MSN, “It’s a minor injury.” Adding to that he also said, “within one or two weeks.” This means the break is just for safety, not because of any long-term problem. The Portugal coach also added, “Everything Cristiano has done physically during this season shows that he’s going through an excellent spell and that there are no physical problems.”

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He continued saying, “ At the World Cup, the centre-forward position will be for Cristiano Ronaldo and Goncalo Ramos. We are looking for a third striker with a different profile.”

Portugal fine-tune plans before World Cup

Portugal are using friendlies against Mexico and the United States as a final testing ground ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign. Head coach Roberto Martinez has termed this camp the last opportunity to experiment before finalising the squad.

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Placed in Group K alongside Colombia and Uzbekistan, Portugal await one more playoff-qualified opponent. The tournament, set to be held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, could mark Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup appearance. With his fitness being carefully managed, Portugal’s priority remains ensuring their talisman is fully ready for the main stage.