Roberto Martinez’s management of the Portugal national team is coming under fire following their last-16 exit at the World Cup.
There will be no semi-final for the former Everton manager, after his side crashed out at the hands of Spain.
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In one of the worst games at the tournament so far, Mikel Merino struck late for Spain to win the game 1-0.
There had been suggestions that Martinez was going to leave the Portugal job regardless of how they fared at this World Cup – and sure enough, after last night’s defeat, he announced his decision to leave.
But the Portuguese media are not letting him go quietly.
Roberto Martinez slammed for abject World Cup campaign with Portugal
Portugal were some people’s tip to actually win the 2026 World Cup, with their squad packed with quality players.
But it quickly became apparent that they were not a threat. And Roberto Martinez was the main reason why.
Unfortunately, his absolute devotion to Cristiano Ronaldo was to the detriment of the team, with the 41-year-old now a shadow of his former self.
The correct call would have been to use Ronaldo from the bench. But the player’s ego, combined with Martinez’s weak management, saw the legend play pretty much every minute.
Several Portuguese media outlets have expressed their dismay at how things transpire this summer.
A Bola published an article listing seven ‘sins’ of Martinez, saying at one point: “Martinez lacked the art and vision to fuse these pieces into a fluid gear. The team was predictable, pasty in the heart and frighteningly slow in offensive transitions.”
CNN Portugal questioned Martinez’s post-match claim that his side tried to win until the end, suggesting the performance lacked desire and intensity.
O Jogo stated that Martinez had ‘failed across the board’ to achieve the objectives that were set out when he was hired three years ago.
Portuguese commentator Ricardo Martins Pereira said (via Noticias Ao Minuto): “We all knew that this would end more or less like this. Years lost in the hands of a mediocre, lax, lackluster coach, without courage, without tear, incompetent. The players deserved more.
“All of them. This gentleman owes an apology to the Portuguese and to many players who, incomprehensibly, did not have the opportunities they deserved, such as Gonçalo Ramos, Trincão, or Matheus Nunes. The Martinez cycle is finally over, and that’s the only celebration we’ll have today.”
Parallels can be drawn with Martinez at Everton
Martinez’s stint with Portugal is somewhat comparable to his time at Everton.
In both roles, Martinez enjoyed a brilliant start, building on robust defensive foundations left by his predecessors David Moyes and Fernando Santos.
With Portugal, Martinez won his first 11 consecutive games. In his first season with Everton, he oversaw a fifth-placed finish, getting a record tally of 72 points.
But eventually Martinez struggled to adapt defensively as teams worked out his tactics.
Towards the end at Everton, there were also instances of Martinez relying on players who weren’t performing or not as reliable anymore – such as Tim Howard, Gareth Barry and Leon Osman – which came at the expense of the team, as has just been the case with Ronaldo at the World Cup.
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