Portugal confirm Roberto Martinez departure following World Cup exit
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has officially confirmed the departure of head coach Roberto Martinez following the national team’s last-16 World Cup elimination by Spain.
The 52-year-old had already publicly announced his intention to step down from the role he originally assumed in January 2023.
A formal statement released by the FPF on Wednesday verified the immediate end of their contractual relationship with the manager and his entire backroom staff.
Mixed tournament record
The Iberian nation secured a second-place finish in their World Cup group after drawing with Colombia and DR Congo, alongside a resounding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan.
They subsequently defeated Croatia in the last-32 before suffering a decisive tournament exit at the hands of their fierce geographical rivals on Monday.
While the Spaniard successfully guided the squad to the Uefa Nations League title in 2025, his tenure was also marked by a disappointing quarter-final penalty shootout defeat to France at Euro 2024.
Ronaldo reliance heavily scrutinised
The former Belgium manager faced intense and consistent scrutiny over his unwavering decision to start 41-year-old forward Cristiano Ronaldo across back-to-back global tournaments.
BBC pundit Chris Sutton recently criticised this tactical approach, suggesting the outgoing coach was actively pandering to the legendary attacker.
“I came to Portugal with the objective of winning the World Cup and because I haven’t won it wouldn’t make sense to continue. My contract ends today.”
The departing tactician offered this blunt explanation regarding his resignation immediately after the narrow 1-0 loss to Spain.
Search for a successor begins
The governing body has immediately commenced the search for a new permanent head coach.
According to the federation, the primary objective is to find a candidate capable of continuing to promote the ambition and established winning culture within the national team setup.