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Riding high on their Nations League victory last summer, Portugal will kick off their World Cup campaign on Wednesday with renewed belief that they can finally capture their first-ever World Cup trophy.

Since Roberto Martinez succeeded Fernando Santos in January 2023, the former manager of Swansea City, Wigan Athletic, and Everton has guided a golden generation of Portuguese talent into a formidable side, blending seasoned veterans with a wave of promising young players.

Portugal have never reached a World Cup final, and while Martinez stops short of calling his team outright favourites, he insists they have every reason to be seen as serious contenders this time around.

Martinez has overseen sweeping changes during his three-and-a-half years in charge and admits that the pace of progress under his stewardship has even surprised him.

“Significantly, and in ways that continue to surprise me positively,” he told FourFourTwo when asked about the evolution of his squad. “When I took over, we didn’t have Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Pedro Neto or Chico Conceicao in the setup.

“All of them have come through and are now central to our plans – players who would walk into the starting XI of almost any national team. That constant renewal – a small country continually producing players of such calibre – is something you’d usually expect from nations with populations of 60 million or more.

“The fact that Portugal achieves this with just 10 million people says everything about the strength of our football structure.”

Martinez’s first major tournament in charge was Euro 2024, where Portugal were eliminated in the quarter-finals on penalties by France.

“I’m convinced that match won us the Nations League,” Martinez explained when reflecting on that campaign. “In that game, especially in the second half and extra-time, we found the belief that we could impose our own style against the world’s top sides rather than adapting to them.

“We finished that match stronger than France. In extra-time, we were the dominant team. Realising that we could control the game against the French, that we didn’t need to sit back and absorb pressure, was the psychological foundation for our Nations League run. It gave us the conviction that we truly belong at the top level.”

Portugal’s route to the Nations League title included impressive victories over both Germany and Spain, a sequence that Martinez believes has given his players a mental edge heading into the World Cup.

“The gap between being close to winning and actually winning is tiny in physical terms but huge in psychological weight,” he continued. “Winning gave us proof that we can finish the job. I want to be honest about what that means for the World Cup. It would be easy, and somewhat dishonest, for a coach to say, ‘We have no expectations, we’ll take it one game at a time.’ Our players compete week in and week out in dressing rooms where the goal is to win the Champions League.

“There’s no reason to lower that standard when they wear the Portugal shirt. We’re genuine contenders to go deep into the tournament. We have the quality, tactical organisation, recent experience in major competitions, and now the evidence that we can win.

“We’re not favourites; Portugal has never lifted the World Cup. Our best finish was third place in 1966, led by Eusebio. There’s a psychological barrier that comes with never having won before – one that can’t just be wished away. It has to be broken down step by step, by performing at the tournament itself.”