The Ball – “Any coach knows Ronaldo is essential” (Selecao)

Lionel Pontes, who worked with Cristiano Ronaldo at Sporting, has full confidence that the Portuguese star can still be a key player in the national team’s success.

Any smart coach knows that Ronaldo is key in this selection. Incidentally, it was also public that Roberto Martinez traveled to Saudi Arabia to speak with Cristiano. So, from the start it will be an expected call-up, but the way the coach has talked about the importance of the player, what he represents in selection, what he represents for younger players and the impact he can have on me. The team was revealing its intention to give continuity to the player who is the image of the national team, ”said the coach, on the sidelines of the coaches’ forum,

Lionel Pontes does not doubt that coach Roberto Martinez will know how to take advantage of Cristiano Ronaldo’s current abilities: “It is not a team that has the collective quality to put the balls in for him so that he can finish the ball. This is a job to do, because he’s not playing alone. He is no longer a player who quickly dribbles three or four players to score a goal. He is a different player and the team has to work in this direction, because within the region he is one of the best players in the world ».