Roberto Martínez is done. The Portugal manager announced his departure shortly after his team’s 1-0 loss to Spain knocked them out of the World Cup. It wasn’t a dramatic firing or a leak to the press. He just stood at the postgame podium and said it plainly.
“My era is over,” Martínez told reporters. “Now it is important to make a fresh start, and it is legitimate for the president to choose his own coach. I am grateful for all the support I received.”
The Spaniard’s contract was set to expire anyway, and there will be no renewal. So Portugal is looking at a clean break — Cristiano Ronaldo played his last international match too, and now his coach is gone as well.
What Comes Next for Portugal
According to reports out of Europe, Jorge Jesus is the frontrunner to take over. That would be a significant shift in style and temperament. Jesus is older, more experienced at the club level, and known for his demanding approach. Martínez was more of a diplomatic figure, someone who managed egos as much as tactics.
Portugal’s federation hasn’t confirmed anything yet. But the timing lines up. The World Cup is over for them. The next cycle starts now.
Martínez led Portugal to the Euro 2024 title, which bought him a lot of goodwill. But the knockout loss to Spain — a tight, tense game decided by a single goal — was enough to close the door on his tenure. He leaves with a trophy and a mostly positive reputation, even if the exit on Sunday felt anticlimactic.
Ronaldo’s future was already settled before this press conference. He confirmed after the Spain match that he’s retiring from international duty. So Portugal loses its all-time leading scorer and its manager in the same night. That’s a lot of turnover for a federation that just won a European Championship two years ago.
Jesus would come in with a mandate to build around the younger core. Players like Rafael Leão, Vitinha, and João Neves are the future now. The question is whether Jesus can adapt his demanding style to a international tournament setting, where you don’t get months on a training ground with the squad.
For now, it’s a waiting game. Portugal’s president will take his time, or maybe not. Either way, the Martínez chapter is closed.
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