Roberto Martinez was appointed coach of Portugal Monday, January 9. The Spaniard, ex-coach of Belgium, succeeds the Portuguese Fernando Santos.
Mo12345lemonde with AFP
Belgian coach from 2016 until the elimination of the Red Devils during the group phase 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, the Portuguese Federation announced on Monday January 9.
The duration of the 49 -year coach’s contract has not been specified. One of his first projects will be to clarify the role of Cristiano Ronaldo who, after a World Cup rich in controversy, has just offered a golden exile by joining the Saudi club Al-Nassr.
“My starting point will be the group of 26 players who played the World Cup, and Cristiano Ronaldo is one of them,” said Roberto Martinez at a press conference, while adding care that he would take his Decisions “in the field” and “not in an office”.
Catalan had left the head of the Red Devils in early December by affirming that their early elimination for the World Cup was not the cause of his departure, decided, according to him, just before the tournament. After a short victory against Canada (1-0), Belgium chained a defeat against Morocco (2-0) and a draw against Croatia (0-0).
long period of stability
It was at the foot of the wall, after the traumatic elimination in the quarterfinals of Euro 2016 against Wales, that Roberto Martinez had taken control of Belgium. Two years later, her selection reached the stadium of the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, which she will not exceed, eliminated at the end of her match against France, victorious of the tournament. Under its leadership, the Belgian team remained for more than three years at the top of the world ranking of the International Football Federation (FIFA).
The Portugal team also comes out of a long period of stability after eight years under the leadership of Fernando Santos, with whom 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 after the elimination of Portugal in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup against Morocco (1-0), the Portuguese press reported that the Federation wanted to entrust the selection to his compatriot José Mourinho, under contract with AS Rome.