The bench of the Portuguese national team has been left vacant. After the end of his employment contract, Spanish technical director Roberto Martínez officially announced his departure from the national team, arguing that his process with the Iberian team has reached a natural conclusion.

The strategist firmly assumed that the federation board has complete freedom to seek a new direction for the sports project in view of the upcoming international commitments.

"I take with me an incredible legacy. We tried everything for 3 and a half years. It is the end of a cycle and it is legitimate that President Pedro Proença can choose another. I thank him because he gave me all the conditions," said the coach at a press conference, visibly moved by the treatment received in the country during his administration.

Martínez complemented his feelings by expressing: "I take away having been very loved, like another Portuguese. It has been a pleasure and a pride and it is difficult to find the end of this cycle, but the context makes total sense."

The balance of the elimination and the keys to the match

The announcement of his departure came immediately after Portugal was eliminated in the round of 16 of the World Cup. The coach analyzed the tactical approach of his last presentation and the performance of his team, emphasizing that the fall was due to imponderables typical of the highly competitive game and not to a lack of attitude or planning on the field of play.

"We finished with sadness, against an opponent who is a favorite in this World Cup. Defensively, we did very well, but in the round of 16 the details are important. That ball hits the crossbar... and in the 90th minute we lost. But I am very proud of the team," the Spanish coach detailed. Furthermore, he explained that losing to a contender of that caliber does not mean a complete failure and that the forced departure of Nuno Mendes due to physical problems reduced the Portuguese squad's ability to unbalance.

Despite the setbacks, Martínez was forceful in defending the dedication of his team and categorically praised the leadership exercised by his main reference in the locker room. "We did not fail, we lost to a team that is a favorite. To fail is to not try to win and we tried until the last minute," he said while admitting that Nuno Mendes' injury conditioned his team's offensive game, due to everything it generates in attack and he considered Cristiano Ronaldo, "an exemplary captain."

Finally, the strategist closed his appearance by making it clear what his highest aspiration in the tournament was: “I came to win the World Cup, there is no point in continuing,” he stated.