Roberto Martinez in Talks with Al-Nassr Amid World Cup Pressure

Roberto Martinez is edging towards the end of one job and, if reports in France are right, quietly positioning himself for another.

According to RMC Sport, the Portugal head coach is in talks with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, the club of Cristiano Ronaldo. Discussions are understood to have started even before the World Cup kicked off, suggesting this is more than a casual sounding-out of interest.

For now, Martinez is still in tournament mode. Portugal opened their FIFA World Cup campaign with a frustrating 1-1 draw against DR Congo on Wednesday, a result that leaves the Iberian side third in Group K. It was a laboured night, one that did little to ease the pressure on a coach whose contract runs only until the end of the competition.

Ronaldo, 40 years old and still central to everything Portugal do, started that game and stayed on for the full 90 minutes. His presence remains a reference point for his country. In Saudi Arabia, he is the face of Al-Nassr and, in many ways, the face of the league’s global push.

That overlap matters. If Martinez does make the switch, he would walk into a dressing room led by the same superstar around whom he is currently building a World Cup campaign. Continuity for the coach. Familiarity for the player. A powerful axis for a club with serious ambitions.

The group picture around Portugal is already shifting. Colombia’s win over Uzbekistan later in the day pushed them to the top of Group K, tightening the margins for Martinez’s side and sharpening the scrutiny on every decision he makes from here.

For Portugal, the path is simple: survive and advance. For Martinez, the horizon looks more complex. A World Cup to navigate, a contract running down, and the pull of a project in Riyadh built around the most famous player he currently manages.