Roberto Martínez on the importance of global club football

Roberto Martínez is a coach deeply embedded in the international game. In this interview, the current Portugal manager and Technical Study Group member explores the impact that the FIFA Club World Cup™ could have on global club football.

Standout moments from Martínez’s coaching career at club level include a promotion to the EFL Championship with Swansea City, an FA Cup triumph with Wigan Athletic in 2013 (where they beat Manchester City 1-0 in the final), and a three-year spell with Everton in the Premier League. The Spaniard then switched club for country to guide Belgium to two FIFA World Cups in 2018 and 2022 and one UEFA European Championship in between. For the last two years, Martínez has been in charge of the Portugal national team, guiding them to UEFA Nations League success in June 2025 following an exhilarating victory over rivals Spain on penalties in the final. During the Club World Cup, the prestigious international coach will join FIFA as a Technical Study Group (TSG) expert, tasked with analysing the action in the United States.