Diogo Jota once again found himself excluded from Portugal's starting lineup for Saturday's 3-1 victory over Poland in the Nations League.
It represented the ninth time in the last 11 games that the 27-year-old had been benched for Cristiano Ronaldo in the national team, with manager Roberto Martinez insistent on using the declining 39-year-old in his system despite all the warning signs .
In Portugal's three warm-up friendlies prior to Euro 2024 , Jota grabbed two goals and an assist to see him head into the tournament in fine form. His reward? Being benched for all five of Portugal's games as it crashed out at the quarter-final stage.
In Portugal's final three games of the tournament, it failed to register a single goal. Ronaldo played every single minute in five of the six games, yet failed to find the back of the net on one occasion in a disastrous showing for both himself and his nation.
Jota only featured in three matches throughout the tournament in Germany and it was only once the clock had passed the hour mark that he was afforded some game time by former Everton boss Martinez, who was blind-sided by his need to keep the misfiring Ronaldo on the pitch at all costs.
You'd think that the Spaniard would have learnt his lesson once Portugal returned to action with its Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Scotland last month, yet he continued to start Ronaldo in attack ahead of Jota.
Granted, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner struck in both games, as well as in Saturday's victory over Poland, but Jota continues to play second-fiddle as a result. The Liverpool striker replaced the former Manchester United man in Warsaw two days ago, and Martinez's comments after the game summed up his situation.
“It’s important. It’s part of us managing the players, because there are two games in 72 hours,” he told RTP3. "Diogo Jota came on very well. It’s important to use the players we have on the bench. Cristiano is perfect now.”
And with that, Martinez summed up exactly how he views Jota. Not as an exciting option off the bench who can influence a game, or as someone he knows he can turn to should his country need him, but as a substitute who can replace Ronaldo in order to keep the superstar in "perfect" condition.
Thankfully for the former Wolves man, he is viewed as so much more than that back on Merseyside. New Liverpool boss Arne Slot has opted to use him as his primary striker so far this season and he has so far delivered accordingly.
Jota has found himself on the bench on just two occasions in 2024-25, starting eight of the 10 games in all competitions and bagging himself four goals and two assists in the process.
Despite being capable of operating anywhere across the front three, Slot has opted to use Jota straight through the middle since his arrival and its worked to near perfection, with the Portuguese looking more dangerous than ever .
Unfortunately for the striker, that same belief has not been shown in him by his manager on the international stage and for as long as Ronaldo continues to pledge himself to his country, it looks certain to remain that way.
Jota started last month's 2-1 victory over Scotland and could be on course to do the same for Tuesday's reverse fixture - but not in his favored position. Against Poland he came on at left-wing, and that's likely to be where he plays should he start from the off at Hampden Park tomorrow.
With Martinez hellbent on keeping Ronaldo in the side, the only way Jota can get a look-in is if he takes up a different role to what he is used to at Liverpool. It's a sorry state of affairs for the Reds forward, but it appears there is simply nothing he can do about it.
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