Roberto Martinez confirmed his departure as Portugal's coach following their 1-0 FIFA World Cup round-of-16 exit to Spain. The Spaniard, whose contract was set to expire, stated that continuing in the role "wouldn't make sense" after the team's elimination, which followed a quarterfinal exit at Euro 2024.

Martinez, who managed Portugal since 2023, presided over a squad featuring talents like Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite the significant talent, Portugal fell short in the knockout stages. Martinez, however, rejected the notion that the defeat was a "failure," attributing the loss to "details in the big games" and emphasizing the team's effort until the final whistle.

The former Belgium and Everton manager defended his decision to keep the 41-year-old Ronaldo on the field for the entire match, citing his presence and ability to create opportunities. The exit marks the end of an era for Portugal in the World Cup, with Cristiano Ronaldo's final appearance in the tournament now confirmed.