Roberto Martinez’s brief spell at Motherwell in 2001 still colours his managerial outlook. The Spanish midfielder arrived from Wigan, made 16 appearances, then faced redundancy when the Fir Park club entered administration, along with 18 teammates. He later described the episode as “very good because it wasn’t good,” noting it taught him how to navigate a dressing‑room in crisis.

Those lessons resurfaced when Martinez took charge of Belgium in 2016, guiding them to three consecutive years as FIFA’s top‑ranked side and a 2018 World Cup semi‑final. Yet he never secured a major trophy, departing after a Euro 2020 quarter‑final loss. His subsequent roles at Swansea, Everton and a brief Wigan spell all added to a résumé built on resilience.

Now Portugal’s World Cup campaign rests on that hardened mindset. Since taking the helm in 2023, Martinez has lost only six of 40 matches, lifted the Nations League and steered a squad featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and João Cancelo to a strong group stage. Their next test comes against Uzbekistan, a match that will test whether his Motherwell‑forged resolve can translate into tournament success.