'A day to forget' - Roberto Martinez explains shock defeat to Ireland but coach defends his record as they close in on World Cup spot

Portugal endured a rare collapse at the worst possible moment at the Aviva Stadium. Troy Parrott struck twice, first in the 17th minute and again just before the interval, punishing a disjointed defensive setup and a side lacking fluency in possession. Portugal dominated territory but produced little to trouble Gavin Bazunu, repeatedly running into Ireland’s disciplined low block.

In the post-match interview, Martinez admitted his side began poorly and missed familiar combinations due to key absences.

“We started the game very badly; Pedro Neto , Nuno Mendes, and Bruno Fernandes were missing , players with whom we already have established patterns,” he explained. “We allowed Ireland to score from a set piece, and when the team was improving, within a poor performance, we conceded. We lacked clarity on the ball, precision. Ireland plays in a safe way, and if we conceded a goal, we knew we would have many problems. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong, and everything that could go right for Ireland, went right.”

Just as Portugal appeared to be settling into the second half, Ronaldo’s confrontation with Dara O’Shea escalated into a VAR-upgraded red card, the first of his 226-cap international career. The dismissal left Portugal with 10 men and extinguished any hope of a response.

"In the second half, we tried everything; Cristiano's sending off made the game more difficult. I saw a lot of courage in the team, but this is a day to forget," Martinez said.

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Beyond Ronaldo, another major void was exposed in Dublin: the absence of Nuno Mendes. The PSG full-back, whom Martinez recently described as “the best in the world”, was sorely missed.

In his earlier press assessment, the coach had said: “There’s no other left-back who can defend one-on-one, make overlapping runs, and play inside or outside with the ball. He’s a complete player… he’s a decisive player for his club and for me.”

With no natural left-back available, Martinez turned to Diogo Dalot and Joao Cancelo, yet neither were able to recreate Mendes’ mix of defensive certainty and forward thrust. After the defeat, Martinez refused to place blame on individuals: “This isn't a day to talk about individual players; it was a collective performance. These are two players who have been doing this for many years, they can play on both wings. The idea was to utilise the connection between Dalot and Felix; they are players who know our concepts, our system, and British football very well.”

Portugal now approach their final qualifier knowing the mathematics are brutally simple: beat Armenia at home and they qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup. Anything else risks slipping into the playoffs which is an outcome Martinez is determined to avoid.

Even in the wake of defeat, he urged perspective. “It would be good to go another 43 games without losing. What’s not normal is having 42 games without defeat… Now, if we win at home, we’re in the World Cup.”

For that to happen, Portugal must repair several structural issues exposed in Dublin. They need a stronger start, having conceded early in consecutive matches. Defensive organisation on set pieces must tighten, something Martinez acknowledged himself:

“It’s true that we conceded goals from corners in the last two games.”

They must also rediscover fluidity in attack, where the absence of Mendes and Neto has robbed them of balance and unpredictability. The leadership group - Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias - must take charge in Ronaldo’s absence, ensuring emotional stability as much as tactical improvement.

“We still have one more game to qualify and for that we need to win,” the coach said.

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