Roberto Martinez is gone. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has confirmed it officially ended its contractual relationship with the national team coach, hours after Monday’s last-16 defeat to Spain. Martinez had already said he was leaving. The paperwork simply caught up. Here’s the uncomfortable bit for anyone following England: a manager with a squad stacked from front to back, an ageing icon he never quite knew how to handle, and a knockout exit that arrived without a single catastrophic performance. Elite talent is not a plan. Portugal just found that out the hard way.
What the FPF Actually Confirmed
The Portuguese Football Federation announced it had formally ended its contractual relationship with Roberto Martinez, who had been in charge since January 2023. The statement followed Portugal’s last-16 loss to Spain. This was not a sacking in the traditional sense — Martinez had already made clear he intended to step down. The federation confirmed a decision that had already been taken.
Portugal’s tournament was solid rather than spectacular. They finished second in their group, drawing with Colombia and DR Congo before hammering Uzbekistan 5-0. They then beat Croatia in the last-32. Those two group-stage draws were the warning. Spain simply delivered the verdict.
The Premier League Years: Swansea, Wigan, Everton
English football knows Martinez well. He managed Swansea, then Wigan — where he pulled off one of the great FA Cup shocks in 2013, beating Manchester City at Wembley days before relegation — and then Everton, where he lasted three seasons. His international career began with Belgium in 2016 and ran to 2022, taking in a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup.
The pattern is hard to ignore. Belgium’s golden generation — Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku — produced no major trophy under him. Portugal’s, with one significant exception, went the same way. That exception matters: Martinez won the 2025 Nations League, beating Spain on penalties. Twelve months on, Spain sent him home.
Why This Matters to Thomas Tuchel’s England
England appointed a foreign manager for exactly the reason Portugal appointed Martinez — the belief that a fresh tactical voice could convert an exceptional squad into silverware. Thomas Tuchel inherited depth that most nations can only dream of. So did Martinez. Depth was never the problem.
What sank Portugal was legibility. Against Spain they looked like a collection of superb footballers rather than a team with a shared idea. Spain looked like the opposite. That is the single sentence England fans have heard about their own side at tournament after tournament, from 2018 to 2024. The Martinez exit is not just a Portuguese story. It’s a warning about what happens when talent is asked to do the work that structure should be doing.
The Cristiano Ronaldo Problem Nobody Solved
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo remained the gravitational centre of the Portugal squad. Martinez never resolved the question publicly: was Ronaldo an automatic starter or a substitute with a legendary CV? He hedged for three years, and the ambiguity cost him. Managing a national icon is a political job as much as a tactical one.
England has run this experiment too, with senior players whose status outgrew their form. The next Portugal coach must build around Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leao while handling the most decorated player in the country’s history. Someone will eventually have to say the thing nobody wants to say.
Who Replaces Martinez?
No successor was named by the FPF at the time of the announcement. Any names circulating are media speculation, not federation confirmation. The job remains one of the most appealing in international football: a young attacking core, Euro 2028 qualification ahead, and a production line of talent that shows no sign of drying up.
The timing helps. A summer World Cup leaves months before competitive fixtures resume — time to appoint a project rather than a firefighter. Portugal have made this pivot before. In 2016 a widely criticised coach won them the European Championship. The lesson applies equally at St George’s Park: the name on the tracksuit matters far less than the idea on the pitch.
FAQ
Why has Roberto Martinez left Portugal?
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed it had officially ended its contractual relationship with Martinez following Portugal’s last-16 defeat to Spain at the 2026 World Cup. Martinez had already announced he would be leaving the role.
How long was Roberto Martinez the Portugal coach?
Martinez had held the role since January 2023, a spell of roughly three and a half years. Before that he managed Belgium between 2016 and 2022, guiding them to third place at the 2018 World Cup.
What was Portugal’s 2026 World Cup record under Martinez?
Portugal finished second in their group, drawing with Colombia and DR Congo and beating Uzbekistan 5-0. They then defeated Croatia in the last-32 before losing to Spain in the last-16 on Monday.
Which English clubs did Roberto Martinez manage?
Martinez managed Swansea, Wigan and Everton. His most celebrated moment in English football came in 2013, when he led Wigan to victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Who will be the next Portugal manager?
The FPF did not name a successor when confirming Martinez’s departure. Any candidates being reported are media speculation rather than official federation announcements.
🏆 AI Analysis – World Cup 2026
Mysports AI uses advanced data models to deliver the best odds, dark horse analysis and betting tips.
Get predictions