Peter Schmeichel has launched a fierce criticism of Roberto Martinez, accusing the Portugal manager of repeating the same errors that saw him squander Belgium’s golden generation. The legendary former Manchester United goalkeeper expressed his frustration after the Selecao were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their 2026 World Cup opener.

‘Most disappointing coach’

The aftermath of Portugal’s draw in Houston has been swift, with Schmeichel leading the criticism of Martinez’s tactics. Despite having a squad filled with top European talent, Portugal struggled to break down a DR Congo side ranked far lower in the FIFA standings. Many have accused the former Everton boss of restricting his players’ creativity and failing to exploit their attacking strengths.

Speaking after the match, Schmeichel did not hold back in his assessment of the Spaniard’s tenure so far. “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 Manchester United star stated. His concerns echo those of many fans who believe Martinez has not managed to get the best out of his world-class squad.

Tactical rigidity and benching key players

Schmeichel was particularly critical of Martinez’s decision to keep high-impact attackers on the bench while the team lacked a breakthrough. The 1992 European Championship winner questioned why players such as Rafael Leao and Joao Felix were not utilised more effectively to breach DR Congo’s resilient defence. In his view, Martinez remains fixated on a system that doesn’t fit the players at his disposal.

“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 look so predictable and cautious,” Schmeichel questioned. He went on to add that the team’s structure was seriously unbalanced: “His tactics are too conservative. The attack lacks creativity, the midfield often seems disconnected, and his substitutions usually come too late to influence the result.”

The Ronaldo dilemma

While Schmeichel focused on overall tactics, other pundits have pointed to Martinez’s handling of 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo as a major issue. Despite an underwhelming performance in which he failed to record a single shot on target, Ronaldo played the entire match. This decision has drawn criticism from analysts such as Tony Cascarino, who argued that Martinez appears to be favouring reputation over performance, instead of making tough calls required at the international level.

A serious warning for Portugal

With a crucial match against Uzbekistan next on the calendar, pressure is mounting on Martinez to demonstrate that he can guide Portugal’s golden generation deep into the tournament. Failing to secure three points against a team they were widely expected to beat has raised alarm bells, with concerns that an early exit could be on the horizon if the Selecao fail to find greater fluidity and attacking sharpness.

Schmeichel ended his analysis with a stern warning if changes are not made soon. “Portugal has one of the strongest squads in the tournament, but they are not playing anywhere near their potential. If things don’t improve quickly, Portugal could waste another golden opportunity to win the World Cup,” he cautioned. Martinez now faces the challenge of balancing experience, talent, and tactical discipline to keep Portugal’s World Cup hopes alive.

Can Portugal recover and make a deep run in the World Cup?