Portugal head coach, Roberto Martinez, has stated that his starting lineup is not definitively established.
This was after Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates secured a 2-1 victory over Nigeria on Wednesday in their last preparatory match prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 17.
The Selecao manager began the match with captain Ronaldo, Francisco Trincao, and Pedro Neto leading the attack, with Neto scoring the first goal midway through the first half at the Estadio Municipal de Leiria.
Akor Adams equalized for the Super Eagles eight minutes before the halftime break, but substitute Francisco Conceicao, who replaced his namesake Francisco Trincao at halftime, netted the decisive goal in the 74th minute, securing the win for the Selecao.
“I keep emphasizing that I am very selective,” Martinez remarked after the match (according to OJogo).
“There is no fixed starting XI. In contemporary football, there are 26 players who can contribute. The strategies for playing against the Democratic Republic of Congo are well-defined, and several players are capable of executing them.
“It would be erroneous to assume that I have a starting XI, only to discover in four or five days that other players are in better form. We consistently operate with clarity on the field; this is our strength.
“I cannot restrict talent to just 11 players. That is a mistake I refuse to make. We have outfield players prepared to contribute. Those who start do not necessarily mean they will start every match. We must effectively utilize our talent.”
After a successful qualifying campaign, Ronaldo and his teammates played a goalless draw against Mexico and defeated the USA 2-0 in March, before triumphing over Chile and Nigeria with a score of 2-1 in their final two friendlies leading up to the World Cup.
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