Peter Schmeichel Critiques Portugal's Performance Under Roberto Martinez in World Cup Opener
Schmeichel's Harsh Words for Portugal's Coach
Copenhagen [Denmark], June 18: Peter Schmeichel, the former Manchester United star and Denmark international, has expressed strong criticism towards Portugal's manager, Roberto Martinez, following the team's disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Schmeichel labeled Martinez as “one of the most disappointing coaches” of the tournament thus far, emphasizing that despite having a formidable squad, Portugal is not performing to its full potential.
In a match that left Cristiano Ronaldo's team frustrated, DR Congo managed to equalize with Yoane Wissa's goal, which countered Joao Neves' early strike. Ronaldo, participating in his sixth World Cup, appeared subdued, while fellow Manchester United player Bernardo Silva also struggled, as Martinez's squad failed to live up to their pre-tournament expectations.
The aftermath of the match has been harsh for Portugal, particularly for Ronaldo, who faced criticism from Thierry Henry, the former France and Arsenal star, for prioritizing personal scoring over team success. Schmeichel also pointed out Martinez's inability to capitalize on a squad often referred to as a 'golden generation,' which includes top talents like Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, and Eden Hazard. Martinez previously led Belgium to a third-place finish in the 2018 World Cup but faced a group stage exit in Qatar.
After the match, Schmeichel was quoted as saying, “Roberto Martinez has to be one of the most disappointing coaches of this World Cup so far. He wasted Belgium’s golden generation, and now it seems the same thing is happening with Portugal.”
He expressed frustration over Martinez's decision to bench key attackers like Joao Felix and Rafael Leao, arguing that Portugal's approach is too predictable and cautious given their attacking prowess. “How can you leave players like Joao Felix and Rafael Leao on the bench while maintaining a system that clearly isn’t working? Portugal has too much attacking talent to appear so predictable and cautious. His tactics are too conservative. The attack lacks creativity, the midfield often seems disconnected, and his substitutions usually come too late to change the game,” he stated.
As Portugal prepares for their next match against Uzbekistan on June 23, Martinez has been warned that the team must improve quickly to avoid squandering another chance at World Cup glory.
“Portugal has one of the strongest squads in the tournament, but they are not playing anywhere near their potential. If things don’t change quickly, Portugal could waste another golden opportunity to win the World Cup,” he cautioned.