Roberto Martinez announced he was leaving his role as Portugal head coach after the team’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup round of 16 on July 6, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. He described the exit and the end of his contract as "the end of a cycle" for Portugal football [1, 5, 7]. Martinez said, "I came to Portugal with the objective of winning the World Cup and because I haven't won it wouldn’t make sense to continue. My contract ends today" [4].
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed Martinez’s contract officially ended on July 8, 2026, and announced the end of its contractual relationship with the coach and his staff [2, 3, 4, 6]. The federation has already begun searching for a successor to maintain the team’s ambitions and winning culture [2, 3, 4, 6].
Martinez, 52, was appointed Portugal head coach in January 2023 after leaving Belgium [2, 3, 4, 6, 7]. During his tenure, Portugal won the UEFA Nations League in 2025 [2, 3, 4, 6].
At the 2026 World Cup, Portugal finished second in their group after draws with Colombia and DR Congo, and a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan before beating Croatia in the round of 32 [4]. Martinez praised the Portugal squad’s talent and rejected the notion of failure in losing to Spain, calling them "one of the favourites" and saying, "We didn't fail. We lost a game, against a team that's one of the favourites. We showed incredible individual talent" [7].
Martinez also praised veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo, saying, "He is a football icon. There aren’t many Ronaldos out there" and defended keeping the 41-year-old on the pitch for the full match against Spain, citing his physical capability and experience in crucial situations [1, 8, 7]. Ronaldo made his final World Cup appearance in that match and is expected to announce his international retirement [1, 8].
Martinez managed 45 games for Portugal [7]. The Portuguese Football Federation is now tasked with appointing a new coach to guide the team beyond this World Cup cycle [2, 3, 4, 6].
