Portugal appoints former Belgian Red Devils coach Martinez as new manager

The Portuguese football federation has officially introduced Roberto Martinez as the new head coach of Portugal. The 49-year-old Spaniard quit his position as manager of the Belgian Red Devils in December, after a disappointing group-stage exit at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Martinez started as manager of the Belgian national team in the summer of 2016. The Spaniard led Kevin De Bruyne and co to a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the best result in the history of Belgian football. He also reached the quarter-finals at the UEFA European Championships in 2016 and 2020.

At Portugal, Martinez replaces Fernando Santos, who was fired after losing against Morocco in the Qatar World Cup quarter-finals. Martinez will have big shoes to fill: Santos won the European Championship in 2018 and the Nations League in 2019. Despite a young and talented Portuguese core, results have been lacking in recent years. 

^{© BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY}