Former Belgium boss Roberto Martinez unveiled as new Portugal manager replacing Fernando Santos
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ByEurosport
Updated 09/01/2023 at 13:09 GMT
The former Belgium manager Roberto Martinez took charge of the Red Devils for six years from 2016 to 2022 - over which period he took the country to third in the 2018 World Cup and was nominated for the FIFA 2018 Coach of the Year award. However after crashing out of the 2022 World Cup in the group stage his contract was not renewed and he has stepped right back into international management.
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Former Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has been confirmed as the new manager of the Portuguese national team, replacing Fernando Santos.
Martinez's contract with Belgium expired at the end of the 2022 World Cup, having been hired in 2016.
The former Wigan Athletic, Swansea City and Everton manager led Belgium to third in the 2018 World Cup but regularly came in for criticism for failing to get the most out of the country's 'Golden Generation'.
He now replaces Santos as Belgium manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract until the end of the 2026 World Cup.
Santos won Euro 2016 and helped bring through a number of young players but was dispensed with after the country were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup by Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Speaking about new Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo Martinez said "Decisions have to be made on the pitch. I'm not a coach who makes hasty decisions. I want to meet everyone, and starting today I want to talk and get to know all the players.
Cristiano is part of that list, he spent 19 years with the national team and deserves respect, let's talk. From there, it's up to me to make the best list for the European Championship. Tomorrow we'll start working, getting to know all the players, and Cristiano is one of them.
"We are going to start a footballing process to try to get to know all the players that could be part of this selection. We are going to give all the players an opportunity and respect all those who are already in the selection. Cristiano is one of them. being able to have them by my side. It's a process that we have to face naturally, with responsibility, and we're going to make important decisions for the team".
When asked about reports that they talked to Roma manager Jose Mourinho the head of the Portuguese FA Fernando Gomes said "What interested us from the first hour was defining a profile.
"Within this search and research we spoke with a lot of people. Everyone knows that I have a great relationship with most Portuguese coaches.
" What I can confirm is that the only concrete proposal we made went to Roberto Martínez".
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