Ominous Cristiano Ronaldo warning sent to Scotland as Portugal boss comes out fighting for Steve Clarke

Portugal boss Roberto Martinez has leapt to the defence of Steve Clarke and told the Tartan Army to stand by their gaffer.

The Scotland manager has faced criticism in the wake of a disastrous Euro 2024 tournament where his side crashed out at the group stage having failed to win a game in Germany. Clarke’s side also suffered a narrow defeat to Poland on Thursday night at Hampden in the opening game of their Nations League campaign.

The Portuguese are up next tonight in Lisbon, with Martinez having an array of talent to choose from. He’s a big admirer of what Clarke has achieved with the Scottish team and is convinced he’s built something special. The Spaniard believes his counterpart should be applauded for taking us to a new level - and hopes the fans keep the faith.

Clarke has taken flak for his team’s performance at the Euros where they picked up just a point and scored a solitary goal before being sent home. Another defeat for him on Sunday will take his current record to just one win in 14 games - and that was against Gibraltar in a friendly. Meanwhile, the Portuguese kicked off their Nations League bid with a 2-1 victory over Croatia in midweek. On the eve of the clash at the Estadio da Luz, Martinez said: “It’s important to measure what Steve has done to the Scotland national team.

“Look at what he’s built. The feeling of having a national team qualifying for a Euros with an incredible record. That’s something to believe in for Scotland fans. International football isn’t easy and it’s not easy to reach tournaments. My experience tells me that it’s well worth it to carry on and believe in his project. You have to get beyond the emotional results from a big tournament where you’re playing against the best players