Ex-Everton Boss Roberto Martinez Surges as Top Pick for Scotland Manager

Context mode is active. Hover over any highlighted term to see its definition. Click a nested term to go deeper.
Roberto Martinez, the former Everton, Belgium, and most recently Portugal manager, has dramatically emerged as the new frontrunner to take over the Scotland National Football Team, leapfrogging David Moyes in the latest betting odds. This significant shift follows the departure of long-serving manager Steve Clarke, who resigned after Scotland's disappointing group-stage exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Martinez's sudden availability after leaving his post with Portugal has reshaped the managerial landscape for the Tartan Army. Clarke's seven-year tenure, which included leading Scotland to three major tournaments, concluded amid criticism after the team secured only one win against Haiti and suffered defeats to Morocco and Brazil in the World Cup, failing once again to advance beyond the group stage. While David Moyes, currently at Everton, was initially tipped as a strong contender, his ongoing commitment to the Premier League club and potential new contract talks have seemingly cooled his immediate prospects for the international role. Martinez, with his extensive international experience, particularly with Belgium and Portugal at major tournaments, now offers the Scottish Football Association a proven track record on the global stage. The Scottish FA is now actively searching for a successor to lead the national side into the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign later this year and the qualifiers for Euro 2028, which Scotland will co-host. With Martinez's odds shortening rapidly, an official announcement could be on the horizon, as the SFA aims to inject new life and strategy into a team looking to finally break its major tournament knockout stage curse.