THE CRISTIANO RONALDO RULE! ALAN SHEARER SAYS ROBERT MARTINEZ HAS 'NO CHOICE' BUT TO USE 'DESPERATE' PORTUGAL SUPERSTAR AT EURO 2024

WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo has been lacklustre for Portugal during Euro 2024 prompting his critics to question his place in the starting lineup and his right to take set-pieces. The Al-Nassr forward has scored just once in his last 60 attempts in major tournaments and Shearer believes that he should be stripped of set-piece duties due to his poor conversion rate.

WHAT SHEARER SAID

Speaking to Betfair, Shearer said: “With Ronaldo against Slovenia, it was all about Ronaldo, wasn’t it? He wanted to take every free-kick, despite him only scoring one in his last 60 attempts in major tournaments. One free-kick in 60 and he’s taking them from the touchline to try to score from there. He’s desperate to get a goal."

Shearer emphasized that Martinez's hands are tied when it comes to Ronaldo's inclusion in the team. "I don’t think Martinez has a choice - Ronaldo plays. We saw that in their third game when Portugal had already qualified, only three players had started from the previous 11 and Ronaldo was one of them. But Martinez doesn’t have a choice, if Ronaldo is fit Ronaldo plays. That’s the rule, I’m afraid."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Against Slovenia, Ronaldo missed a crucial penalty during extra time, which left him in tears. His teammates and manager, Roberto Martinez, were there to console him and he managed to redeem himself by converting Portugal's first spot-kick in the subsequent shootout. And Shearer believes that Ronaldo should be hailed for delivering in such a pressure situation.

"He took that penalty and missed it, although he deserves great credit for the way he took the first penalty in the shootout because the pressure on him was absolutely huge," he added.

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WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

While Ronaldo's determination and influence are undeniable, his current form has sparked debate about his role in the team. He has yet to score at Euro 2024, but he will have another chance to break his duck when Portugal face France in the quarter-finals on Friday.