Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martinez has indicated that the ongoing FIFA World Cup will be his last assignment with the national team. The Spanish manager said he has already discussed the matter with Portugal’s top brass.

“It’s not news. We’ve talked about this many times in Portugal”, Martinez said about the reports of his departure after the World Cup. “Maybe it’s new elsewhere, but in Portugal we’ve discussed it a lot already. The focus remains continuing the work we’ve done over the last three and a half years.”

Martinez took over Portugal’s coaching baton in January 2023 and since then in 40 matches, the team has registered 28 wins, seven draws and the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League title under his tutelage.

“What I can point to is a very consistent campaign,” he said of his tenure.

“We won the Nations League — the most demanding edition yet. We played ten matches, advanced through the knockout rounds, defeated Germany in Germany, and then won the final against Spain. Those are significant achievements. The team is in excellent condition. The players have confidence, but they also understand that the World Cup is completely different from any other competition. We must prove ourselves all over again.”

The Spanish coach said that no matter how things go at the World Cup, the cycle will likely end. “When I arrived in Portugal, the objective was to try to win everything possible every day, but above all to prepare for the World Cup,” Martinez added.

“Now we are here, 40 matches later, after winning the Nations League, and the focus remains exactly the same: The World Cup is what matters. Naturally, people may see it as news, but for me it isn’t really news. It’s simply a fact, not a news story.”

Martinez revealed the defender Ruben Dias is not fit and will not play the opening game.

“Ruben Dias is not 100% fit for tomorrow, so he is not available for the match,” Martinez said. “This is not the moment to take risks.”