Portugal Confirms Departure of Coach Martínez

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has officially confirmed the departure of national team coach Roberto Martinez and his staff. This decision follows Portugal's elimination from the World Cup in the last-16 stage after a 1-0 loss to Spain.

Martinez, who took charge in January 2023, had already indicated his intention to leave the role. He stated that his primary objective upon accepting the position was to win the World Cup, and his failure to achieve this goal made continuing untenable. "My contract ends today," Martinez announced after the match against Spain.

During his tenure, Martinez led Portugal to victory in the UEFA Nations League in 2025. However, the team's performance at Euro 2024 ended at the quarter-final stage with a penalty shootout defeat to France. His consistent selection of Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old forward, had faced considerable scrutiny in recent global tournaments, with some critics, like BBC pundit Chris Sutton, suggesting Martinez was overly accommodating to the veteran player.

The FPF has announced that it has already commenced the process of finding a new head coach. The federation aims to appoint a successor who can uphold and further the national team's ambition and established winning culture.

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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.