Official: Roberto Martinez announced as new Portugal manager
Former Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has been appointed as the new manager for the Portuguese national team. The former Everton and Wigan Athletic gaffer joins Portugal after their 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal exit.
Martinez started his managerial career in England with Wigan Athletic, where he won the FA Cup in 2013. The Spaniard became Belgium manager in 2016, replacing Marc Wilmots at the helm of the affairs of the Red Devils. He took charge of Belgium’s golden generation and took the team to the top of international football.
Roberto Martinez led Belgium to a third-place finish in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and saw the Red Devils spend four years as the number one ranked national team in the world. He was in charge of the Red Devils for 80 matches and had a 70% win ratio in his tenure. He resigned after their disastrous outing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup where they failed to make it out of the group stage for the first time in any 21st century competition.
Martinez replaces Fernando Santos as Portugal manager after the veteran manager stepped down in the aftermath of the 2022 World Cup, where the Selecao were knocked out by Morocco. The former Everton manager has big shoes to fill as Santos won Portugal the Euros in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019.
Martinez revealed his willingness to work with Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that he wanted to give a chance to all 26 players that represented the country at the Mundial. He also praise Ronaldo for his longevity and history in the national team.
