Roberto Martinez Addresses Future with Portugal Ahead of World Cup Opener Against Congo

Roberto Martinez, the Spanish head coach of the Portugal national team, has finally addressed speculation regarding his future with the team. His comments come just hours before Portugal’s opening match in the 2026 World Cup, amidst concerns about a significant defensive setback for fans.

Portugal will kick off its World Cup campaign in Canada, the United States, and Mexico with a challenging match against the Democratic Republic of Congo tonight. This game marks the first round of Group 11, which also includes Colombia and Uzbekistan.

Martinez Responds: Departure Rumors Are False

In important statements reported by the renowned Portuguese newspaper “A Bola,” Martinez firmly denied rumors suggesting he would leave his position immediately after the tournament, regardless of its outcome. He expressed his disbelief, stating: “I don’t know what happened today for such news to emerge; it is completely false. Our full focus is now on the World Cup finals.”.

The Spanish coach added: “We are at the final stage of a building process that has lasted three and a half years. Reaching the World Cup and competing in it has been our sole objective during this time, and that is what matters most right now.”.

Defensive Blow

In another development, Martinez delivered disappointing news to Portuguese fans by announcing that Manchester City defender Ruben Dias will miss tonight’s match due to injury.

The Portugal coach explained the details of Dias’s condition: “Ruben is not at full physical fitness right now, and there is no need to take risks with him in the first game. He is currently in recovery and will definitely be ready for upcoming matches.”.

Martinez elaborated on the nature of Dias’s injury: “He arrived in excellent physical condition after playing a full 90 minutes in his last match with Manchester City and worked incredibly hard during our training camp. However, football is always a sport that involves strong tackles and contact.”.

Concluding his remarks, Martinez emphasized: “What Ruben experienced was just a minor injury resulting from a strong challenge during our friendly against Nigeria. The medical examinations were very reassuring structurally, but we won’t take any chances; medically he needs to be 100% ready to participate in the rest of the tournament. His current injury is minor and cannot be compared at all to what happened to him last season with his English club.”.