Just when Cristiano Ronaldo had found his footing in the Round of 32 game between Portugal and Croatia and had scored his first World Cup knockout-stage goal, Roberto Martinez took him off the pitch. The decision shocked every fan at Toronto Stadium, as well as those watching at home, and even Ronaldo, who walked off in clear discontent.
The decision was entirely tactical, as Ronaldo showed no signs of discomfort or any physical setback. Because Ronaldo had already played 80 minutes and was fatigued—though not to the point of asking to be replaced—Martinez opted to shuffle the pieces in Portugal‘s lineup. In came Ruben Neves, a midfielder, to balance out the Lusos’ lineup, as they had been struggling to contain Croatia’s surges.
In fact, just before Ronaldo was subbed off, Croatia had a goal disallowed due to a marginal offside. Still, taking Ronaldo off the field when the game felt headed for extra time and a penalty shootout in the 2026 World Cup was a decision Martinez may have never lived down.
Ronaldo couldn’t believe the substitution
Often, images are worth even more than a thousand words. With Ronaldo, who never shies away from showing his emotions, that tends to be the case. Thus, as the fourth official raised the digital board indicating Portugal’s No. 7 was coming off, Ronaldo’s face was a poem—though not exactly one Martinez may have wanted to read. He couldn’t believe the decision.
The sequence: Ronaldo greets Neves and Martinez, but shows reproval of the decision.
Ronaldo had just scored from the spot to tie the game, and with the match seemingly headed for extra time—and potentially a penalty shootout—he was subbed off. However, it all paid off in the end. Goncalo Ramos, who took over as Portugal’s main striker after Ronaldo was substituted, scored with a header to win it 2-1 for the Lusos over Croatia.
Ronaldo’s game vs. Croatia
After battling rumors and drama throughout the tournament, Ronaldo didn’t have his best game against Croatia, but he still stepped up when his team needed him. He scored from the penalty spot to tie the game and would’ve scored a beautiful goal earlier if it hadn’t been for a VAR-reviewed offside. Croatia also had a goal disallowed for offside though, and it came in a bigger moment of the game.
With his sister saying the 2026 World Cup would be Ronaldo’s last dance, Cristiano brushed everything aside and delivered a performance to be proud of. Even if Portugal had been eliminated, he had left his mark. Fortunately, the road continues for Portugal, who are headed to the Round of 16. Ronaldo then celebrated with Diogo Jota’s shirt, as the striker was seen in tears while remembering his late friend.
