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Unnamed sources close to Portugal have made a big claim on Cristiano Ronaldo and the change in his behavior ahead of their Euro 2024 opening match against Czech Republic on Tuesday (June 18) in Leipzig.
According to Relevo, the source claimed that Ronaldo has become a more sociable and charming person after Portugal coach Roberto Martinez reportedly set some ground rules for the star.
"His teammates say that now he is different, that they can communicate much better with him, that he is closer at meals, during breaks, that he is a more sociable, charming person." the source claimed.
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As per Relevo, Martinez travelled to Saudi Arabia ahead of the Euros to speak to Ronaldo and discuss some ground rules for the benefit of the national team. One of the rules the coach set was that Ronaldo's entourage would not stay with him in the camp hotel.
Ronaldo's entourage includes his former teammates Jose Semedo and Miguel Paixao and his agent Ricardo Regufe. The three have reportedly always accompanied the Al-Nassr star on his tours and have their rooms in the same hotel, but Martinez has put a ban on it.
The source close to the Portugal locker room also claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to continue at the highest level and play the 2026 World Cup. The 2024 Euros would reportedly not be his last, per the same source.
Roberto Martinez and Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly agreed on another rule about attacker's playtime
According to Relevo, the aforementioned source revealed that another rule Cristiano Ronaldo and Roberto Martinez agreed on pertained to the Portuguese icon's game time.
The rule suggests that Ronaldo will be the starting striker for Portugal, but the coach could replace or substitute him based on the demands of the game. Since the arrival of Martinez, Ronaldo has played the entire 90 minutes in seven games, was substituted in three and was not called up in four games.
Ronaldo came on as a substitute in the knockouts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup by former coach Fernando Santos against Switzerland and Morocco. Portugal were knocked out of the tournement following a 1-0 loss to Morocco in the quarterfinals.
Speaking of Martinez's mindset while setting the rule, the aforementioned source told Relevo that the Spaniard is a direct man with common sense and would not give up his old values for the Euros.
"Roberto is a direct person with common sense. Sporting Lisbon had a great championship but only took one player because he had previously trusted others and was not going to make his debut now at the gates of the Euro Cup to new values." the source added.
It appears that both Cristiano Ronaldo and Martinez are remaining true to their "verbal contract" of the basic ground rules of co-existence. Ronaldo is therefore expected to be in the starting line-up for most of Portugal's games in Euro 2024 but might not play the entire 90 minutes in all of them.
