Martínez on Facing 'His' Spain: "My Home is Where My Family Is..."

It's not his first encounter with Spain while managing Portugal, and it's happened before in a Nations League final, but Roberto Martínez is set to face Spain again in a crucial match, this time in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Martínez himself admitted he has no issue with his home country standing in the way of his World Cup dream.

"My situation is different because I've never worked in Spain. It might seem incredible, but I lived 21 years in the UK, 21 years in Spain, 7 years in Belgium, and three and a half years in Portugal. My home is where my family is and where my mission lies," he stated during a press conference, emphasizing the passion of the Portuguese people.

"For me, it's about being very close to the players, to what the national team represents, to acknowledge the strength and everything we experienced in Toronto – it was incredible, almost half a million Portuguese in Canada. The support was amazing. It means a lot, and as a national team coach, it's an incredible pride, fully focused on the feeling our national team embodies," he explained.