Official: Portugal appoints Roberto Martinez as new manager

sacked Fernando Santos after a shocking 1-0 defeat against Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals. Santos became Portugal’s manager in 2014 and led his team to the European Championship in 2016 and UEFA's inaugural Nations League in 2018-19.

The 49-year-old Roberto Martinez also left his role as

manager after six years following disappointing group stage elimination at the

.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm and ambition with which he (Martinez) received the invitation,"

FPF President Fernando Gomes told a news conference as Martinez stood next to him.

"This is an important moment for the national team."

Martinez told reporters:

"I'm very happy to be here, I'm delighted to be able to represent one of the most talented teams in the world. It is the project I wanted. I understand that there are high expectations and goals, but I also understand that there is a large group of people working to fulfil our goals."

Portugal football federation was interested in hiring Jose Mourinho and talked with his agent Jorge Mendes but AS Roma was not willing to let Mourinho manage both teams simultaneously and the negotiations failed.

Martinez started his managerial career with Swansea City in 2007. He joined Wigan Athletic in 2009 and managed to win the FA Cup trophy in 2013 but they were relegated in the same season.

He joined Everton the following season and enjoyed a fifth-placed finish in his first season but they finished in 11th place the following season and Martinez was sacked in 2016.

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