Roberto Martinez, 11th coach to depart after World Cup 2026

Roberto Martinez announced his departure as head coach of the Portuguese national team following their elimination from the World Cup 2026 after a defeat against Spain. This marks the end of his tenure, which spanned three and a half years.

Martinez is the eleventh coach to leave his position after the current World Cup. His decision follows a pattern seen with other managers whose teams did not advance as expected in the tournament. The list includes coaches like Sabri Lamouchi (Tunisia), Miroslav Koubek (Czech Republic), Steve Clarke (Scotland), Hong Myung-bo (South Korea), Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay), Sebastián Beccacece (Ecuador), Ronald Koeman (Netherlands), Julian Nagelsmann (Germany), Carlos Queiroz (Ghana), Javier Aguirre (Mexico), and now Martinez.

During his press conference after the match, Martinez expressed gratitude for the opportunity. "I take with me an incredible legacy. We tried everything for 3 and a half years. It is the end of a cycle and it is legitimate that President Pedro Proença can choose another. I thank him because they gave me all the conditions," he stated.

The coaches' departures are categorized by their teams' performance: Lamouchi was dismissed early, Koubek, Clarke, Hong, and Bielsa resigned after group stage exits, while Beccacece, Koeman, Nagelsmann, and Queiroz departed after failing to advance past the Round of 16. Martinez and Aguirre were eliminated in the same round, the Round of 16.

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I take with me an incredible legacy. We tried everything for 3 and a half years. It is the end of a cycle and it is legitimate that President Pedro Proença can choose another. I thank him because they gave me all the conditions.