Belgium: Roberto Martinez leaves his post!

Roberto Martinez is no longer Belgium coach. The Spanish technician announced his departure on Thursday, in the wake of the elimination of the Red Devils from the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.

Roberto Martinez will not go further. Appointed Belgium coach in August 2016, the Spanish manager left his post. In a press release, the Belgian Football Federation announced on Thursday the departure of the 49-year-old coach. “Roberto Martinez has announced that he will stop being national coach of the Belgian Red Devils.” A new fall just a few minutes after the elimination of the Belgians at the 2022 World Cup, from the group stage, after a draw conceded against Croatia (0-0) on the last day of group F. with four points, Eden Hazard’s partners fail one length from the Croats and three units from Morocco and will have won only one match against Canada (1-0), on a goal from Michy Batshuayi.

“My decision was made before the World Cup”

“Elimination does not change anything, even if we had been world champion I would have left. My decision was made before the World Cup”, explained the technician to journalists, in remarks reported by the Belgian media. Under the mandate of the former Everton coach, whose contract ran until the end of this World Cup in Qatar with an option for an additional season in the event of qualification for the round of 16, Belgium will have played 79 matches, for a record of 56 wins, 13 draws and 10 losses.

Roberto Martinez has announced that he will stop as national coach of the Belgian Red Devils. pic.twitter.com/l7EBqiOAeD

— Royal Belgian FA (@RoyalBelgianFA) December 1, 2022

Third in the 2018 World Cup in Russia – with an elimination against France in the semi-finals (0-1) and a success against England in the small final (2-0) – Belgium were taken out by the Italy (1-2), future winner, in the quarter-finals of the 2021 European Championship. With the departure of Roberto Martinez after a World Cup to be forgotten, a page is turned for a golden generation which has so far failed to win a major trophy.