Roberto Martinez signs Belgium contract extension until 2022 World Cup
Roberto Martinez will remain the coach of the Belgian national football team till 2022, which will see him lead the side at the 2022 Qatar World Cup if they qualify. The Spaniard led Belgium to a third-place finish in the 2018 FIFA World Cup with that being the nation's best ever finish.
The 46-year-old has delivered for the Red Devils from the onslaught, making them one of the top-ranked sides in the world and they currently occupy the world number one spot. But, Roberto’s biggest achievement came in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where he guided Belgium to a third-place finish, their best ever at the event, following a 2-0 victory over England in the third-place play-off.
“The corona crisis has slowed things down somewhat, but the contract extension has been completed and is now official. This will allow Roberto MartĂnez to continue his work, lay the foundations for the future of Belgian football and train the person who will succeed him as technical director after the 2022 World Cup,” read an official statement, as reported by Newsday.com.
Martinez is a former Spanish International who started his managerial career in 2007 and has worked with English teams like Swansea City, Wigan Athletic, and Everton, before becoming the Belgian head coach in 2016. Since then, the Red Devils have become one of the best in the world and Martinez believes that the next two years will be vital for the team with the Euros and the 2022 World Cup qualifiers lined up.
“The next two and a half years will be particularly intense for our national team with the Euro, the Nations League, the qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup and this final tournament," said Roberto Martinez.