Roberto Martinez, the 52-year-old Spanish coach who just parted ways with Portugal’s national team, has rapidly become the bookmakers’ favorite to take charge of Scotland. His odds have collapsed from 25/1 to 2/1 in a matter of days, the kind of move that usually means someone, somewhere, knows something.
The Scottish Football Association is hunting for a replacement after Steve Clarke officially resigned following Scotland’s group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup.
Why Martinez, why now
Martinez married Scottish woman Beth Thomson in 2009. Before that, he had a playing stint at Motherwell during the 2001-02 season. For a country that occasionally struggles to attract elite managerial talent, having a coach with real personal roots in the nation is a meaningful differentiator.
Martinez became available after the Portuguese Football Federation confirmed his departure following Portugal’s round-of-16 exit at the 2026 World Cup.
