(Roberto Martínez. Photo by Premuim Times)
Roberto Martínez has confirmed he is stepping down as Portugal head coach following the Seleção’s heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup, though he insisted the tournament should not be regarded as a failure despite the early exit.
Portugal’s World Cup campaign came to a painful end at AT&T Stadium in Dallas after substitute Mikel Merino scored a dramatic 91st-minute winner to send Spain through to the quarter-finals, in what also turned out to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final appearance at football’s biggest tournament.
Martínez, who took over as Portugal boss in 2023 after leaving his role with Belgium, was already set to see his contract expire at the conclusion of the World Cup.
Following Monday’s defeat, the Spanish tactician confirmed that his time in charge had come to a close.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 52-year-old said it was the right moment to step aside, especially after Portugal had also fallen short at the quarter-final stage of UEFA Euro 2024.
He confirmed it was indeed his last match in charge of the national team, expressing pride in having overseen 45 games and describing the warmth and support he received in Portugal as a memory he would carry with him forever.
He called it a pleasure, a source of pride and responsibility, while acknowledging that although difficult, it marked the end of a cycle that made complete sense given the circumstances.
Martínez departs after 45 matches in charge, bringing to a close a tenure that followed previous managerial spells at Swansea City, Wigan Athletic, Everton, and the Belgian national team.
We didn’t fail
Despite leading one of the tournament’s most talented squads, Martínez pushed back against suggestions that Portugal’s Round of 16 exit amounted to failure.
With a midfield boasting the creative talents of Vitinha, João Neves, and Bruno Fernandes, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo spearheading the attack, Portugal had arrived at the tournament among the favourites but were unable to advance beyond the knockout rounds.
Still, Martínez insisted the outcome was determined by the finest of margins rather than any shortage of quality or ambition.
He argued that the team had not failed, having simply lost to one of the tournament favourites while showcasing remarkable individual talent, adding that success or failure in matches between top teams often comes down to fine details, and that true failure only occurs when a team stops trying to win something Portugal never did, fighting until the final whistle.
The former Belgium coach also stressed how difficult it is to consistently go deep into World Cup tournaments, noting that fortune often plays a decisive role in separating triumph from disappointment.
He observed that few countries manage to consistently reach the latter stages of the competition, pointing out that small margins such as a shot striking the woodwork often end up deciding World Cups.
Martínez defends decision to keep Ronaldo on till the end
Martínez also stood by his decision to leave 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch for the entire 90 minutes, even as Portugal searched for an equaliser after falling behind late in the match.
He maintained that substituting the nation’s all-time leading scorer would never have been the right decision during normal time, explaining that a team chasing a goal cannot afford to take off a player of Ronaldo’s calibre, given his ability to play the full 90 minutes, his presence on the pitch, and his influence in creating space, particularly around set-pieces and situations inside the box.
He acknowledged that bringing on Gonçalo Ramos might have made sense during extra time, but stressed the need to maintain the team’s structure rather than remove the squad’s top scorer within regulation time.
Martínez’s departure brings to a close a significant chapter in Portuguese football, ending a two-year spell that offered moments of promise but ultimately fell short of the nation’s ambition to add a first FIFA World Cup title to its European Championship and UEFA Nations League triumphs.
His exit also marks the end of an era, coming on the same night that Cristiano Ronaldo bowed out of the World Cup following a record-breaking career spanning six editions of the tournament.