Roberto Martinez Departs Portugal As Jorge Jesus Links Emerge

Roberto Martinez has left the Portugal national team after the World Cup round-of-16 loss to Spain, with the Portuguese Football Federation confirming the split. The decision closes a period that included one Nations League title but ended with disappointment in the United States, where a highly rated squad failed to reach the quarter-finals.

Martinez had already revealed he would move on after Monday's defeat to Spain, having been appointed Portugal head coach in 2023 following six years with Belgium. During that spell, Martinez led Portugal to the 2025 Nations League crown and reached the Euro 2024 quarter-finals against France, winning 30 of 45 games overall.

Portugal arrived at the 2026 World Cup with one of the deepest squads in the tournament, yet the team struggled to impose control. In Group K, Portugal drew with DR Congo and Colombia, then edged Croatia 2-1 in the last 32, surviving after Josko Gvardiol had a stoppage-time equaliser ruled out for offside in the build-up.

The campaign ended in Atlanta, where Spain won 1-0 thanks to a 91st-minute goal from substitute Mikel Merino. Portugal failed to register a shot on target after half-time and produced only five efforts in total after the interval, two of which came in stoppage time as Spain protected the lead.

Ronaldo still produced three goals at the 2026 World Cup, including a penalty against Croatia that gave Ronaldo a first knockout-stage goal at the tournament. Yet the forward attempted 17 shots without creating a single chance for any team-mate, the highest such total by any player at one World Cup since records began in 1966.

Across the 2022 and 2026 World Cups combined, Ronaldo played at least 500 minutes but did not complete a single successful dribble past an opponent. Ronaldo's eight defeats at World Cups are now joint-most for any player, level with Mathew Leckie, Son Heung-min, Antonio Carbajal and Hong Myung-bo.

Attention has also turned to the Portugal bench after Martinez's departure. FPF president Pedro Proenca has outlined that the next national coach must understand Portuguese football, with Jorge Jesus strongly mentioned as a candidate, though Proenca stressed that Portugal officials are considering several options during the search.

Martinez's record with Portugal remains strong on paper, with 30 wins, nine draws and six defeats, giving a 66.7% win rate. However, the combination of a Euro 2024 quarter-final exit and the early 2026 World Cup elimination persuaded both sides that a change was needed at this point in the team's cycle.

"The Portuguese Football Federation announces that this Wednesday, officially, the contractual connection with the national coach, Roberto Martinez, and his technical team ended. The Portuguese Football Federation issues thanks for all the professionalism and dedication shown by Roberto Martinez and his technical team in the last three-and-a-half years, a period marked by the conquest of the Nations League in 2025. The president of the Portuguese Football Federation is already working on hiring the future national coach, with the aim of continuing to promote the ambition and culture of victory that should always guide the national team in all competitions it plays."

Portugal now stand at a key point, with the coach position vacant and Ronaldo's long-term role unclear. The FPF is working on a successor who fits domestic expectations while the squad regroups after another World Cup exit, seeking a more consistent record in knockout matches at future major tournaments.