World Cup manager to quit job immediately after tournament amid Premier League links

Roberto Martinez is expected to quit his job as Portugal manager after the World Cup, regardless of how well they do in the tournament.

The Spaniard only has a deal until that runs until the end of July and has reportedly decided he will not renew it. Martinez has been in charge of Portugal for three years and talkSPORT claims he has already made up his mind ahead of a potential return to club management.

Martinez is reportedly keeping his options open ahead of his new managerial move and hasn't ruled out a return to the Premier League. He has also been linked with various positions across Europe, while he might also decide to take another international role.

The former Wigan Athletic and Everton boss has enjoyed reasonable success with the Portuguese national side already and boasts the highest win percentage of any permanent manager in their history.

Although they were knocked out of Euro 2024 on penalties by France in the quarter-finals, they responded well when they defeated Spain in the Nations League final last summer.

Martinez will hope to win another piece of silverware in his final months in the role as Portugal aims to win the World Cup for the first time in their history.

The 52-year-old has previously managed at two World Cups with mixed results. During his previous role with Belgium, Martinez guided them to a third-place finish in 2018 before they suffered a shock group stage exit in 2022.

Portugal have a star-studded squad and are one of the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup this summer. They begin their tournament when they face DR Congo on Wednesday night, before they also face Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Martinez described the positive mood around the national side: "I wouldn’t say there’s an anxiety in Portugal to win the World Cup. I would say it’s excitement, hope. That comes with these players.

"We’re talking about Cristiano Ronaldo. The Manchester United captain [Bruno Fernandes]. The Porto captain [Diogo Costa]. The Man City captain [Bernardo Silva]. Four important players at the European champions [Paris Saint-Germain]. That makes the Portuguese people feel good.

“We know we’ve never won the World Cup; that tells us it’s hard.

"We know things can change fast, that talent alone is not enough, that small details can go against you, and of course, it’s a hammer blow when you don’t succeed, but let us dream.

"I think we can. And that’s the attitude I want our team to have."