Portugal hires Martínez as its new national team coach

Portugal hired former Belgium coach Roberto Martínez to lead its national team on Monday, Associated Press (AP) reported.

The Spaniard replaces Fernando Santos, who quit in December after Portugal’s elimination against Morocco in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Santos left amid the controversy of benching Cristiano Ronaldo in the knockout stage of the tournament in Qatar.

Martínez ended his six-year stint with Belgium after the team’s disappointing group-stage elimination at the World Cup, when he again failed to lead the nation’s golden generation to a triumph.

He arrives to a Portugal team filled with talented players like Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and João Félix.