Portugal coach Roberto Martínez declines to confirm whether Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the starting lineup for the team’s second World Cup group stage match against Uzbekistan on Tuesday. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Martínez says he cannot comment on the starting XI yet, stating that he has not told his players. Multiple outlets report that the question comes after Portugal’s subdued performance in their opening match, and after Ronaldo faced criticism tied to that display. Martínez responds by keeping details of the lineup private rather than addressing whether Ronaldo would be benched. Times of India adds that Martínez defends the broader approach to the squad, emphasizing unity and characterizing outside commentary as unfair. It also reports that Martínez points to Ronaldo’s ongoing role in creating space and generating scoring chances, even as he avoids confirming his status for the next match. Overall, the reporting agrees that no final decision is publicly stated and that Martínez continues to keep the lineup under wraps ahead of the Uzbekistan game.