Roberto Martinez named new Portugal coach

Former Belgium coach Roberto Martinez has been named the new manager of Portugal’s national squad, the country’s football federation (FPF) said on Monday.

“I appreciate the enthusiasm and ambition with which he (Martinez) received the invitation,” FPF President Fernando Gomes told a news conference as Martinez stood next to him. “This is an important moment for the national team”

Martinez, from Spain, stepped down as Belgium’s coach following his side’s World Cup group stage exit, saying he had made the decision to end his six-year tenure some time ago and would have left even if they had been crowned champions.

It ended a long spell in charge of the side in which he took them to number one in the world rankings and third place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Martinez, 49, is replacing former Portugal coach Fernando Santos, who also left his job after the team suffered a shock defeat by Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Santos, who was widely criticised for his tactics, became Portugal coach in 2014 and led the country in 109 matches. They won the European Championship in 2016 and UEFA’s inaugural Nations League in 2018-19.