According to A Bola, the incident occurred on 20/9 in Cascais, a coastal town near Lisbon. The housekeeper, working in the basement, discovered the thieves but was unable to stop them. Martinez and his family were away at the time.

Portuguese police are investigating, and no suspects appear to have been apprehended yet.

Coach Martinez embraces Cristiano Ronaldo, celebrating their Nations League victory in Germany in June. Photo: OS

Coach Martinez embraces Cristiano Ronaldo, celebrating their Nations League victory in Germany in June. Photo: OS

Martinez has coached Portugal since January 2023. In over two years, he has led the team to 23 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses, achieving the highest win percentage of his career at 71.88%. He also guided Ronaldo and his teammates to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024, victory in the 2025 Nations League, and currently leads Group F in the European World Cup qualifiers.

During his tenure as Belgium's coach from 2016 to 2022, the Spanish coach won 56 games, drew 13, and lost 11, for a 70% win rate. His achievements include a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup and reaching the quarterfinals of Euro 2021. However, his contract was terminated after Belgium's elimination in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.

At the club level, Martinez led Swansea City to the English second division title in the 2007-2008 season, Wigan Athletic to the 2012-2013 FA Cup, and guided Everton to fifth place in the 2013-2014 Premier League.

As a player, Martinez was a defensive midfielder for Zaragoza, Wigan, and Swansea. He retired in 2007 and never played for the Spanish national team.

Portugal has one of the highest rates of crimes like pickpocketing, robbery, and theft in Europe, alongside Italy, France, Spain, and Belgium. In recent years, criminals have often targeted wealthy athletes who are frequently away from home due to the nature of their profession.

Thanh Quy (A Bola)