Manchester United will welcome players back to Carrington this week following their international commitments.
While Michael Carrick’s attention remains firmly on the season ahead, several members of his squad are still making headlines after representing their countries at the World Cup.
One of those is Bruno Fernandes, whose tournament came to a disappointing end as Portugal crashed out in the Round of 16.
The midfielder is expected to report back for United’s pre-season in the next couple of weeks, but he will do so under unexpected circumstances after a major change was confirmed by his national team.
Bruno Fernandes’s manager officially loses job
The Portuguese Football Federation have now officially announced, via their website, the departure of Roberto Martinez, bringing an end to his three-and-a-half-year spell in charge of Portugal.
The federation confirmed the decision in an official statement, saying, “The Portuguese Football Federation announces that it officially ended its contractual relationship with the National Team Coach, Roberto Martinez, and his coaching staff this Wednesday.”
Martinez’s exit follows Portugal’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time strike ended their hopes of progressing further.
For Bruno Fernandes, it marked the end of a frustrating tournament in which the Manchester United captain struggled to reach the high standards he has consistently set for both club and country.
Roberto Martinez had already hinted after Portugal’s elimination that his time in charge had come to an end.
“Yes, this is my last game with the national team,” Martinez said.
“I’m proud. I’ve had 45 games, and I felt welcomed in Portugal, and loved. It’s a memory I’ll take with me always.
“It was a pleasure, a source of pride, and responsibility. It’s hard, but it’s the end of a cycle and in the context it makes absolute sense.”
The Portuguese Football Federation also paid tribute to the departing coach, thanking him for “all their professionalism and dedication over the last three and a half years, a period marked by winning the Nations League in 2025, but also by the dedication, professionalism and commitment with which he embraced the project and by the way he always respected the country and Portuguese football.”
The federation added that its president has already begun the search for a replacement, with the objective of continuing “to promote the ambition and winning culture that should always guide the National Team in all competitions it participates in.”
Martinez took charge of Portugal in 2023 after leaving Belgium, having previously managed Everton, Wigan Athletic and Swansea City.
His contract had been scheduled to expire after the World Cup, but Portugal’s early elimination accelerated the end of his tenure.
As Fernandes prepares to return to Manchester United ahead of the new season, he will do so knowing Portugal are also entering a new era with a new national team manager set to be appointed in the coming weeks.
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