Roberto Martinez appointed as new Portugal head coach

Portugal have confirmed the appointment of Roberto Martinez as new national team manager.

Former Belgium boss Martinez succeeds Fernando Santos, who left the role after eight years in charge following last month’s World Cup.

Martinez, previously manager at Everton and Wigan, was himself available after his spell with Belgium ended after the tournament in Qatar.

“I appreciate the enthusiasm and ambition with which he (Martinez) received the invitation,” FPF President Fernando Gomes told a news conference as Martinez stood next to him.

“This is an important moment for the national team”

Martinez, from Spain, has said he had made the decision to end his six-year Belgium tenure some time ago and would have left even if they had been crowned champions.

It ended a long spell in charge of the side in which he took them to number one in the world rankings and third place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Martinez, 49, is replacing former Portugal coach Fernando Santos, who also left his job after the team suffered a shock defeat by Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Santos, who was widely criticised for his tactics, became Portugal coach in 2014 and led the country in 109 matches.

They won the European Championship in 2016 and UEFA’s inaugural Nations League in 2018-19.

Portugal face Liechtenstein in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier in March. They also face Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in their campaign.