2026 World Cup: Ex-Chelsea star blasts Martinez after Portugal’s defeat to Spain

Former Chelsea striker, Chris Sutton, has criticized Roberto Martinez for keeping Goncalo Ramos on the bench for Cristiano Ronaldo to play the entire 90 minutes in Portugal’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in Round of Sixteen of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Portugal suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain, prolonging their wait for a first World Cup title. 

Ronaldo, 41, played the entire match in Dallas, with Martinez choosing not to bring on Goncalo Ramos.

Ramos, who had appeared as a substitute for Portugal in North America, netted the decisive goal for the Seleção in their round of 32 match against Croatia after Ronaldo was substituted.

Following the defeat to Spain, Sutton branded Martinez an ’embarrassment’ for keeping Ramos on the bench while allowing Ronaldo to ‘do as he pleases’.

He said on BBC, “Roberto Martinez is an embarrassment. Gonçalo Ramos remains on the bench. Ronaldo does what he wants… once again! Portugal resembled a freak show… a circus. Martinez is so weak.”

Ramos had previously been the standout player for Portugal in their last 16 match of the 2022 tournament, scoring a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory over Switzerland while Ronaldo was brought on as a substitute.

“Goncalo Ramos played in the last 16 at the last World Cup and scored a hat-trick when the manager had the courage to leave Cristiano Ronaldo out. Now, four years later, Ronaldo is older, and look at the outcome. They have underperformed because of him,” Sutton added.

Martinez’s team failed to register a single shot on target in the second half against Spain, with only two of their five second-half attempts occurring during stoppage time.

2026 World Cup: Ex-Chelsea star blasts Martinez after Portugal’s defeat to Spain