A late goal ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s World Cup run as they fell 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16. The defeat intensified scrutiny on head coach Roberto Martinez, with fans questioning Portugal’s underwhelming tournament campaign.
Both sides had very few clear-cut chances as Ronaldo saw his efforts beaten away by Unai Simon. Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal and Alex Baena were all toothless in front of the goal for large parts of the game. However, Spain scored an extremely late winner as substitutes Mikel Merino and Ferran Torres combined. Torres received the ball and played an incisive through pass to find an unmarked Merino, who slotted a calm finish past the unbeatable Diogo Costa to make it 1-0.
With the defeat drawing curtains on an abysmal World Cup campaign, Martinez was blamed for a majority of his decisions, from lineups to tactics. However, a reputed journalist tore into the manager and his tenure with the Portuguese squad.
“The Portuguese Football Federation should launch an investigation into how Roberto Martinez was ever hired. A suitably spineless end to a waste of three and a half years,” Samuel Luckhurst wrote on X.
The Portuguese Football Federation should launch an investigation into how Roberto Martinez was ever hired. A suitably spineless end to a waste of three and a half years.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) July 6, 2026
A few fans were clearly unimpressed with the decision not to use Goncalo Ramos, the match winner from the previous game. “Roberto Martinez is an embarrassment. Gonçalo Ramos stays on the bench. Ronaldo does what he wants… again! Portugal were a freak show… a circus. Martinez so weak,” they expressed their displeasure.
Martinez took over the Portugal national team job in 2023, replacing Fernando Santos after a poor 2022 World Cup. Although Martinez delivered the Nations League title, the underwhelming runs at the 2024 Euros and this World Cup, with far more talented squads than his predecessors, left fans wanting more.
“Roberto Martinez has successfully ruined his 2nd golden generation. Whoever decided to hire him is the biggest enemy of Portugal,” a fan questioned, as another wondered, “He bottled the golden generation of Belgium, and now he has bottled the golden Portuguese generation. Crazy how he keeps getting these huge managerial jobs.”
