Portugal’s Football Federation hope to announce Roberto Martinez’s successor by the end of the week, with veteran coach Jorge Jesus the leading candidate to take over the national team, sources have told ESPN.
The Portuguese FA bid farewell to Martinez on Wednesday with the Spaniard having already confirmed after Portugal’s elimination from the World Cup, that his contract had come to an end and he would depart.
Regarding the candidates to replace Martinez, Portugal’s Football Federation (FPF) president Pedro Proença did not give names but told reporters on Wednesday:
“The coach must be someone who knows Portuguese soccer well and identifies with the winning mindset of the federation and the national team.
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“There are several possibilities. I will handle this matter myself. I hope we’ll have concrete news by the end of the week.”
Sources told ESPN that Jorge Jesus, 71, is the FPF’s preferred choice to guide the team through to the 2030 World Cup.
The Portuguese manager is a free agent having left Al Nassr in May shortly after guiding the team to the Saudi Pro League title. At Al Nassr, Jorge Jesus coached Portugal stars Cristiano Ronaldo and João Félix.
Although Jorge Jesus has not coached a national team before, he was considered for the Brazil job before Carlo Ancelotti was appointed in May 2025. Jorge Jesus has achieved plenty of success in clubs both at home and abroad.
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The former Braga and Sporting CP boss guided Benfica to 10 trophies, including three Primeira Liga crowns.
He is considered the most successful coach of Brazilian giants Flamengo, having steered them to five major trophies from June 2019 to July 2020.
He also led Al Hilal to the domestic treble in the 2023-24 campaign. Portugal are in a hurry to appoint a new manager and move on from their World Cup disappointment.
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Considered among the pre-tournament favourites, Martinez’s men struggled to show their best form and lost 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16.
“A new era of victories is beginning — one we want to see happen,” Proença said. “This World Cup fell far short of what we had hoped for.
“It’s up to us to respond as soon as possible. We already have the Nations League, where our goal is to win. We have a European Championship and a [2030] World Cup coming up in Portugal. Our ambition is immense.”
