Belgium coach since 2016 until the elimination of the Red Devils during the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, which took place in Qatar, the Spaniard Roberto Martinez will experience a new adventure. He succeeds Fernando Santos at the head of the Portugal football team, announced Monday, January 9, the Portuguese federation.
The duration of the 49-year-old coach’s contract has not been specified. One of his first projects will be to clarify the role of Cristiano Ronaldo who, following a controversial World Cup, has just offered himself 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”said Roberto Martinez in a press conference, while adding cautiously that he would make his decisions ” in the field “ et “not in an office”.
The Catalan had left the head of the Red Devils at the beginning of December by affirming that their early elimination at the World Cup was not the cause of his departure, decided, according to him, just before the tournament. After a narrow victory once morest Canada (1-0), Belgium chained a defeat once morest Morocco (2-0) and a draw once morest Croatia (0-0).
Long period of stability
It was once morest the wall, following the traumatic elimination in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 once morest Wales, that Roberto Martinez had taken charge of Belgium. Two years later, its selection reached the stage of the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, which it will not exceed, eliminated at the end of its match once morest France, victorious of the tournament. Under his leadership, the Belgian team remained at the top of the International Football Federation (FIFA) world rankings for more than three years.
The Portuguese team is also emerging from a long period of stability following eight years under the leadership of Fernando Santos, with whom the Seleçao won 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 following Portugal’s elimination in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup once morest Morocco (1-0), the Portuguese press reported that the federation wanted to entrust the selection to his compatriot José Mourinho, under contract with AS Roma.
