Martinez quits Portugal after Ronaldo-centric World Cup exit to Spain
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez resigned after a 1-0 last-16 World Cup defeat to Spain, a loss that exposed the tactical cost of building a team around an ageing Cristiano Ronaldo rather than optimising a squad of elite European club talent.
Mikel Merino’s injury-time goal gave Spain a 1-0 victory in Dallas, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup and prompting the immediate resignation of manager Roberto Martinez.
Martinez confirmed his departure directly after the match. "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," he said. "My contract ends today."
The exit highlights the difficulty of managing declining but iconic assets. Martinez had at his disposal players who helped Paris Saint-Germain win the past two Champions League titles, as well as Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes. Instead of maximising this talent, the squad bowed out in the last 16.
BBC pundit Chris Sutton was blunt about the tactical failure. "He's waddling around the field like a grandad, that's why Portugal are out," Sutton said. "How did Goncalo Ramos not get on the pitch? It's an absolute embarrassment from the manager, just pandering to his star player."
At 41, Ronaldo finished the tournament with three goals but offered little else in general play. He had 18 shots—matching the tally of joint top scorer Erling Haaland—but created only one chance for a teammate. Despite playing all but nine minutes of Portugal's five games, 366 players at the tournament touched the ball more times than him.
Martinez defended his reliance on the forward, who has a world-record 976 career goals. "When you need a goal you cannot take Cristiano off, at least in 90 minutes," Martinez said, citing his "presence, open space, dead-ball situations".
The result also cements a shifting hierarchy in European football. Lionel Messi, Ronaldo's long-term rival, won the 2022 World Cup and arrived at this tournament with the same impact, matching his 2022 tally of seven goals. Ronaldo leaves the World Cup stage with 11 goals, having never lifted the trophy.
Ronaldo was in tears after the match but remained non-committal about his international future. "I will meet the family and take decisions with a calm head," he said. His former teammate Wayne Rooney summed up the reality facing all elite athletes: "He is a genius, a superstar. But time gets us all."
