Since taking the reins of Portugal, Roberto Martinez continues to divide. Its record is flattering on an accounting level, but its detractors denounce football that is too predictable, without a clear identity. As the Seleção prepares for its next elections, a new voice, familiar and virulent, has entered the debate. And she didn’t mince her words.
Nainggolan cuts Martinez to pieces
Radja Nainggolan, former Belgian international, exploded again against the one he accuses of having “wasted the golden generation” of the Red Devils. In an interview with Junior Vertongen Showthe midfielder who played for Roma and Inter described Roberto Martinez as “catastrophic coach” and of “fake football expert”. “He never gave me an explanation when he dismissed me, his reasons were bogus,” he blurted out, before adding: “If Belgium had had a real coach, we would have won a title. »
For Nainggolan, the Spaniard has always lacked ideas and personality. He criticizes Martinez for relying on the individual talent of his stars without ever building a solid game plan. “When it was tough, he would say: ‘Give the ball to Hazard or De Bruyne.’ There you go, that was the tactic,” quipped the 36-year-old, now in Lokeren.
Critics that go beyond Belgium
Beyond the past, Nainggolan believes that the same faults are being repeated today with Portugal. And this is where Cristiano Ronaldo is directly concerned. “We are talking about a coach who never creates structure. With him there are no racing lines, no style. It’s permanent chance”he added. The former Romain thus judges that Martinez risks reproducing the same pattern: a team full of talent, but incapable of existing collectively.
Words that resonate while Portugal, despite solid results, struggles to convince with content. If Ronaldo continues to pile up the goals, the Seleção’s baseline remains subject to debate, especially against the big nations.
A direct warning for the Seleção
In short, Nainggolan is not only criticizing a former coach: he is warning a star who is still active. “Cristiano works for a catastrophic coach “, he decided. The warning is clear, even if it also reflects a personal resentment towards the man who dismissed him in 2018. The fact remains that his testimony, brutal but precise, puts a sensitive subject back on the table: does Roberto Martinez really have the stature to transform a group of stars into a conquering team?
The coming months, and especially the major events of 2026, will tell whether the former Belgium coach was able to learn from his mistakes. Or if Portugal is condemned to relive the same disillusionment as the Red Devils.
