Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel has launched a fierce criticism of Portugal coach Roberto Martinez following the team’s disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Portugal were expected to begin their Group K campaign with victory but struggled to break down the African side and were forced to settle for a point after a frustrating performance.
The result sparked criticism from Schmeichel, who accused Martinez of failing to maximise the potential of another talented generation of players.
Schmeichel said: “Roberto Martínez 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.”
The former Denmark goalkeeper questioned several tactical decisions made by the Portuguese coach, particularly his handling of attacking options available to the team.
Portugal left several high-profile forwards on the bench despite struggling to create clear chances against DR Congo.
“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,” Schmeichel added.
He also criticised the overall structure of the team, arguing that Portugal’s approach lacked the creativity required to unlock stubborn opposition.
“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.”
The criticism comes after Portugal dominated possession but failed to convert that advantage into victory against a determined DR Congo side.
While Schmeichel’s comments focused on Martinez’s tactical decisions, other observers have also questioned the continued reliance on veteran captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 41-year-old forward completed the full match but was unable to inspire Portugal to victory and failed to register a shot on target.
The draw leaves Portugal under pressure ahead of their next Group K fixture as they seek to revive their campaign and strengthen their chances of reaching the knockout stage.
The result has intensified scrutiny over Martinez methods, with critics arguing that a squad packed with elite European talent should be producing far more convincing performances on the world’s biggest stage.
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