OFFICIAL/ Elimination brings departure, changes for Portugal

2026-07-07 00:54:00, Sport CNA

Portugal ended their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16, but the elimination didn't just bring an end to their adventure in the tournament. It also marked the end of a cycle in charge of the Portuguese national team.

Immediately after the match, Roberto Martinez announced that his time as Portugal coach was over. The Spanish coach stated that his contract would not be renewed and that the national team needed a fresh start. In his statement after the elimination, Martinez stressed that it was time for the Portuguese Football Federation to choose a new coach and a new direction for the team.

Martinez's departure comes after a period in which Portugal had one of the most quality groups of players at their disposal. The squad included names such as Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, Vitinha, Joao Neves, Pedro Neto, Joao Cancelo and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, results at major tournaments failed to meet expectations.

At Euro 2024, Portugal stopped at the quarter-final stage, while at the World Cup their journey ended in the 1/8th. These results increased criticism of Martinez, who was often accused of tactical choices, management of decisive matches and the way of activating key players.

The Portuguese Federation had long been considering different scenarios for the future of the bench. It is said that the minimum objective for Martinez was to reach at least the semi-finals of the World Cup. The elimination in the 1/8 stage against Spain made a change in technical direction inevitable.

Meanwhile, the most talked-about name to take over Portugal is Jorge Jesus. The Portuguese coach, who was most recently in charge of Al-Nasr, is considered the favorite for the job. His experience and familiarity with many Portuguese players are seen as elements that could ease the transition to a new era.

An important detail is the fact that Jesus also worked with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nasr. This could influence the management of the national team's next phase, especially if Ronaldo continues to remain part of the project for future competitions.

The departure of Martinez and the possible arrival of Jesus open a new chapter for Portugal. The Portuguese national team continues to have a generation of high-quality players at its disposal and the objective now is to build a project that can return the team to the highest levels of international football.