Pressed further on whether a notable goal target could influence Ronaldo in any way, Martinez added: “No, because I don’t see Cris playing with the anxiety or intention of reaching 1,000 goals. Whether he has 950 or 1,050 goals, he has the same legacy. It won’t change anything. That’s outside talk.”
Quizzed on whether Ronaldo shares that mindset, having already achieved so much at the very highest level, Martinez went on to say: “Absolutely. Because we’ve had games where Cris faces the goal and looks for the assist. It’s an aspect I value a lot. It’s very important. A striker isn’t just about scoring goals, it’s about making the right decisions inside the box. That’s what assists are for. And assists are more important than goals, in general.
“We’re talking about a striker who has 25 goals in 30 games. But I value behaviour inside the box much more. And Cristiano doesn’t have the obsession that people talk about from the outside regarding his 1,000th goal. Because his behavior isn’t like that. I can’t say for the club, but here with the national team it’s not like that.”