Roberto Martinez has confirmed he will leave his role as Portugal head coach following their World Cup round of 16 exit, a 1-0 defeat to Spain in Dallas on 6 July that also marked the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career.
Mikel Merino settled the contest with a dramatic 91st minute winner, finishing past Diogo Costa just six minutes after coming off the bench, sending Spain into the quarter finals and ending Portugal’s hopes of consecutive last eight appearances for the first time in their history.
Speaking in his post match press conference, Martinez said the timing felt right for a change in direction. “It’s the end of the cycle. It’s important to have a new voice, a new leader,” he said. “I take with myself the memories, and hope that Portugal has good memories in the three years and a half I was head coach of the team. It was the experience of my life.” He added that the decision had not been made in advance of the tournament. “It had not been decided previously that I would leave after the tournament. I came with the goal to win the World Cup, and because I did not win, it does not make sense to continue,” he said.
Martinez was full of praise for his players despite the result, insisting Portugal had produced their best performance of the tournament when it mattered most. “The players played with heart. I think this was our best match of the World Cup. The difference came down to a ball that hit the crossbar and didn’t go in. We deserved to go to extra time. We looked one of the tournament favourites straight in the eye,” he said, referencing Nuno Mendes’s goal bound effort that cannoned back off the crossbar via a deflection off Pedro Porro in the first half.
The outgoing coach also took time to reflect on Ronaldo’s influence throughout his time in charge, describing the captain as a defining presence both on and off the pitch. “He has been an exemplary captain. I got to Portugal at a time when there was a lot of confusion and questions about him. As far as his position, he has been an example in terms of the goals, but also the averages, the assists he has given in the attacks, counter attacks,” Martinez said. “The way he commits to football, he is a role model. He is someone to celebrate. We are talking about a football icon. There aren’t many Cristiano Ronaldos out there. We need to thank him for what he has done this World Cup. He is a prime example of football, an athlete, and the human being that is behind that athlete,” he added.
Spain had started brightly, with Mikel Oyarzabal dragging an early chance wide after beating the offside trap, before Diogo Costa produced a string of saves to deny Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena. Ronaldo also went close, seeing an instinctive volley kept out by Unai Simon, but the game remained goalless heading into the closing stages until substitutes combined to break the deadlock. Ferran Torres turned smartly on a Rodri pass and slipped in fellow substitute Merino, who took his time before finishing coolly into the bottom corner.
The defeat draws the curtain on Ronaldo’s remarkable World Cup career, after the 41 year old confirmed before the match that this would be his final tournament with Portugal, though not the end of his professional playing days. He leaves as only the second player in history to start 25 World Cup matches, behind Lionel Messi’s 27, having scored 11 goals and provided two assists across six tournaments, though he never finished higher than fourth place with his country.
Martinez’s departure ends a three and a half year spell in charge that included a Nations League triumph last year, but ultimately fell short of the only measure by which Portugal’s public judge their national team, success at major tournaments. His side were eliminated at both Euro 2024 and this World Cup, following a narrow penalty shootout defeat to France in the quarter finals two years ago.
For Spain, the win extended their remarkable defensive record to six consecutive clean sheets, a first in World Cup history, having now gone over ten hours without conceding at the tournament. Merino’s strike was also the tenth match winning goal scored in the 90th minute or later at this World Cup, the most in any single edition of the competition, and made him the fifth different Arsenal player to score at this year’s tournament, another record.
Spain will face the winner of the last 16 tie between the United States and Belgium in the quarter finals.
