Cristiano Ronaldo , at 41, stands on the cusp of an extraordinary sixth World Cup appearance, a testament to a career that has consistently rewritten football’s record books. Yet, for Portugal coach Roberto Martinez, the veteran captain’s age is merely a number, with his place in the national squad determined by current form and the same rigorous standards applied to every other player. Martinez, speaking to Reuters in Lisbon on Thursday, firmly stated that Portugal is not carrying a monument to past glory. "We manage the Cristiano Ronaldo that plays for the national team trying to get into the squad for 2026, not the iconic figure," he explained, underscoring a pragmatic approach to squad selection. The prevailing debate in Portugal centres less on whether Ronaldo, international football’s record scorer with 143 goals, merits a place in the squad, and more on the precise role he should fulfil when World Cup margins are razor-thin.…