Spaniard Roberto Martinez (49) has been appointed as Portugal coach. He succeeds the Portuguese Fernando Santos. Martinez led Belgium from 2016 until the end of 2022.
The first challenge for the coach, whose contract duration was not immediately specified, will be to clarify the role of Cristiano Ronaldo. After a World Cup rich in controversy, CR7 has just afforded a golden exile by joining the Saudi club Al-Nassr.
“My starting point will be the group of 26 players who played in the World Cup, and Cristiano Ronaldo is one of them,” Martinez told a press conference. He cautiously added that he will make his decisions ‘on the ground’ and ‘not in an office’.
Departure decided before the tournament
The Catalan had left the head of the Red Devils at the beginning of December by affirming that their elimination from the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar was not the cause of his departure, decided according to him just before the tournament. After a narrow victory against Canada (1-0), Belgium chained a defeat against Morocco (2-0) and a draw against Croatia (0-0).
Martinez took charge of Belgium in 2016, after the traumatic elimination in the quarter-finals of the Euro against Wales. Under his leadership, the team reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, beaten by France who would go on to win the tournament, and for more than three years was at the top of the FIFA world rankings.
Stability
The Portugal team is also emerging from a long period of stability after eight years under the leadership of Fernando Santos. This offered him the first major titles in its history: Euro 2016 and the first edition of the League of Nations in 2019.
When the 68-year-old coach announced his departure, five days after the elimination of the Seleçao in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup against Morocco (1-0), the Portuguese press reported that the federation wanted to hire his compatriot José Mourinho , under contract with AS Roma.
/ATS