Roberto Martínez ends his spell as Portugal head coach | OneFootball

Roberto Martínez has ended his spell as Portugal head coach after a 1-0 defeat by Spain at the World Cup, with his contract expiring and not being renewed.

According to SPORT, Martínez had already told the set-up internally that this would be his final tournament, irrespective of how far Portugal went in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and even a title would not have altered his plan.

The loss, settled by a Mikel Merino goal in added time, confirmed Portugal's exit in the last 16 and simply brought forward the farewell.

Appointed in January 2023, Martínez considers his cycle complete and feels the team needs a new phase, with no appetite to extend beyond the tournament.

He departs having refreshed the squad, winning the 2025 Nations League and bedding in a new core led by Vitinha, João Neves, Nuno Mendes and Gonçalo Ramos, while still leaning on Cristiano Ronaldo's leadership. The pursuit of a first World Cup, however, remains unfulfilled.

The Portuguese federation will now begin the search for a new head coach ahead of Euro 2028.

Source: Superdeporte