Roberto Martinez has opened up about his remarkable journey from Wigan player to FA Cup-winning manager in a revealing interview with BBC Sport. The Spaniard masterminded Wigan's shock 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the 2013 final, a triumph he describes as 'very special' given the odds against the underdog Latics.

Martinez, who joined Wigan in 1995 as one of the 'Three Amigos' - the first three Spaniards to move to the UK following the Bosman ruling - revealed he couldn't speak English when he arrived. The 52-year-old went on to manage Everton before taking charge of Belgium and now Portugal, where he guided them to their second Nations League title last year. His current role has been marked by tragedy after forward Diogo Jota died in a car crash in northern Spain.

In the interview, Martinez discussed his management philosophy, influenced by Johan Cruyff's revolutionary approach at Barcelona and other tactical innovators like Arrigo Sacchi. He revealed he always wanted to be a manager, inspired by his father's coaching career, and explained why managing Cristiano Ronaldo is 'easy' - the Portuguese star's professionalism and dedication make him straightforward to work with despite his global superstar status.