Martínez:Ronaldo is being an exemplary captain off the pitch.

Roberto Martínez, the national team coach, in a press conference in Atlanta, before the friendly match against the United States. The coach addressed Cristiano Ronaldo’s role in the team and the captain’s injury.

Ronaldo’s addiction

Every locker room is different. Cristiano Ronaldo is our captain, an example of a hungry player. He’s not a 41-year-old player; he’s a player who’s hungry to try and improve every day. He’s been an exemplary captain off the pitch and an inspiration to the new players in the national team, someone who shows the way and the team’s values. And on the pitch, he’s a player who has scored 25 goals in the last 30 games. We evaluate all the players day by day, stage by stage, and the demands of being in the national team are maximum for everyone.

Ronaldo’s injury and the captain’s mentality

It’s difficult to say, I quickly learned not to try to predict the future with Cristiano. He tries to be the best he can be in the present. He doesn’t make plans for the future. He has a minor injury and will probably be back training with the group next week. It’s nothing serious. Nélson Semedo isn’t here either, Rúben Dias too… These minor injuries happen. Cristiano is our captain, he’s a very important player. He was our captain in the Nations League and has the best role in our team, which is the final move in the box. His mentality is inspiring and, therefore, we don’t know when the end [of his career] will be.