Portugal has appointed the Belgian coach who resigned after failing to reach the first round of the Qatar World Cup. Roberto Martinez resigned after Belgium’s defeat in the group stage. He returned after coaching the team for six years. There were earlier indications that Martinez would accompany the paratroopers. Fernando Santos, the coach of Portugal who reached the quarterfinals in Qatar, resigned. Martinez fills this vacancy.
Martinez said he is happy to coach one of the best-ranked national teams in the world.
Martinez started as coach of Wigan in the English league and spent four years with the team before also coaching Everton. Under Martinez, Wigan were FA Cup champions in 2013. He joined the Belgium national team in 2016. The team finished third in the 2018 World Cup and took first place in the FIFA rankings. When Qatar reached the World Cup, the team was second.
Apart from being Euro 2016 champions, Portugal also won the 2018-19 Nations League title under Santos. However, the team failed to get beyond the quarter-finals at the World Cup in Qatar, where they were stingy in giving Cristiano Ronaldo a chance and gained media attention. The team managed only one win in the group stage.
Martinez said to questions about the team that his current squad has 26 players who have played in the World Cup and has Ronaldo. He added that the decision will be made considering the performance on the field and that the words in the office are not relevant. Martinez says that he will give the respect to Cristiano as the player who helped the national team reach heights for 19 years.
Martinez has been criticized for failing to find and train a new generation beyond the Belgium team’s golden generation of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku. It was a continuation of this and this time it was eliminated without being able to pass the group stage.