“Won a trophy without that snake”, “Brings a bad omen” - Fans angry at 31-year-old being part of Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal’s line-up vs Armenia

Portugal fans on X are not happy with Roberto Martinez naming Joao Cancelo in the starting XI as Cristiano Ronaldo-led side take on Armenia in the FIFA World Cup qualifier. They believe that the defender has been an issue and will make it hard for his teammates on the pitch.

Portugal begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, facing hosts Armenia in the first game on Saturday, September 6. Manager Martinez has opted for a 4-3-3 with captain Ronaldo leading the attack.

Diogo Costa keeps his players as the starting goalkeeper, with Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, and Nuno Mendes in front of him. Joao Neves partners with his PSG teammate Vitinha in the heart of the midfield, with Bruno Fernandes helping them out.

Chelsea star Pedro Neto and Al-Nassr's new signing Joao Felix are on the wings today, with Cristiano Ronaldo up front.

The starting XI has been well-received by the fans, but the majority are concerned about Cancelo's inclusion in the starting lineup. Here are the best reactions:

S.R7

@SR7922958974457

Cancelo whyyyy

ElecTroZ

@Elec7roZx

I'd prefer anyone other than Cancelo he just brings a bad omen to the team always

Garnacho’s brother

@MrSimplicityGh

The only snake here is Cancelo

CR_100

@CR__1000

Cancelo should be nowhere near that squad, they won a trophy without that snake

R7

@MayowaQuonit

Canceloo???? Naaaahhhhhh

Gaurishankar Jalan

@Gaurish85445405

Get cancelo outta here play giovanny quenda

Roberto Martinez used João Neves as the right-back in the UEFA Nations League final, with Bernardo Silva taking the PSG star's spot in the midfield. The manager has now opted to do with Cancelo as his full-backs, and moved Neves back to his best position on the pitch.

Roberto Martinez on Cristiano Ronaldo's part in the Portugal squad

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to keep his place in the starting XI. Speaking to the media in June, he highlighted the Al-Nassr superstar's contributions in recent matches and stated that dropping the striker was not an option, as he was performing well on the pitch.

He said (via ESPN):

"At 40, he has unique experience in the world of club football. Being a coach isn't about picking or not picking Cristiano Ronaldo, it's about using the best players to have the best team and win titles. It's important to make decisions based on facts, and Cristiano has scored 20 goals [for Portugal] in [the last] 25 games. There are no records like this. We've managed to make the dressing room a very competitive place, and when you have a player like Ronaldo, it's a football lesson every day."

Cristiano Ronaldo is playing his 222nd match for Portugal when he takes the pitch against Armenia. He has scored 138 goals for the national team, and is inching closer to his dream of scoring 1000 career goals.