“Yes, it is my last game with the national team,” the Spanish coach said in a post-match press conference. “ I am proud of what we achieved.”
The former Belgium manager continued, “ It has been a pleasure, a source of pride and responsibility, but it is the end of a cycle.”
His comments came after his team lost to rivals in the Round of 16 at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup on the back of a spectacular late winner from Spain midfielder, Mikel Merino.
Martinez took the reins at the Estádio da Luz in January of last year and managed Portugal for 45 games. ” We did not fail. We lost against one of the favourite teams,” he told reporters when asked about the Portugal campaign. “We showed tremendous quality, and these big games are often lost or won with details.”
He also defended his choice to keep all-time top-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch for the entirety of the Round of 16 clash as he looked for an equalizer, though a Portugal team including 37-year-old Ronaldo never made a serious push.
“ It is very important for us to have experience on the field to maintain control of the game.” Martinez’s contract with Portugal, who crashed out at the quarter-final of Euro 2024 in what was his third major tournament in charge, expired after tonight’s elimination.
