Cristiano Ronaldo will be 41 years old when Portugal hosts Nigeria on June 10 in Leiria. And if you’re expecting some tearful lap around the pitch, a jersey tossed into the stands, and a montage set to Andrea Bocelli, you’ll have to keep waiting.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has made it clear: Ronaldo is not treating Wednesday’s friendly at Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa as his farewell on home soil. The veteran captain, according to Martinez, is focused entirely on performance, not on scripting some cinematic goodbye.

World Cup prep, not a victory lap

This match against Nigeria is Portugal’s final warm-up before their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. Martinez has been consistent on one principle since taking the Portugal job in January 2023: selection is based on current form. No exemptions for reputation. No sentimental roster spots. That applies to every player on the squad, including a man who has scored more international goals than anyone in the history of the sport.

The fact that Ronaldo is in the 2026 World Cup squad at all tells you what Martinez thinks of his current level. The coach clearly believes the 41-year-old still merits inclusion on merit, not mythology.

Martinez’s Portugal project

Since arriving in January 2023, Martinez has quietly built something impressive with this squad. The crowning achievement so far: Portugal’s 2025 UEFA Nations League title, a tournament win that validated both his tactical approach and his ability to manage a dressing room full of high-profile egos.

The farewell question that won’t go away

The Leiria venue adds an interesting wrinkle. Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa is not the Estádio da Luz or the Estádio do Dragão. It’s a smaller, more intimate setting. If Portugal wanted to stage a proper send-off for their greatest ever player, they’d probably pick a bigger stage. The choice of venue, combined with Martinez’s remarks, reinforces that this is a functional match, not a ceremonial one.

What Martinez has made clear is that the answer won’t be dictated by sentiment. It will be dictated by performance. And as long as Ronaldo keeps performing at a level that justifies selection, the farewell conversation remains premature.