Roberto Martinez has brushed aside speculation over his future with Portugal, stating: "The World Cup is all that matters."

Portugal open their Group K campaign against DR Congo in Houston on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, reports emerged over Martinez's future, suggesting the former Belgium coach would step away from his role after the World Cup.

Martinez took over Portugal in 2023 and led them to the Nations League title in 2025, as well as the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.

Given a 7.8% chance by Opta's supercomputer, Portugal are the fifth favourites to triumph in North America, and Martinez wants the full focus to be on the Selecao's World Cup campaign, rather than his future.

"It's not news. We've talked about this many times in Portugal," said Martinez, who has won 70% of his matches at the World Cup (7/10). Among head coaches to manage 10+ games in the competition, only Tele Santana, Didier Deschamps and Joachim Low have a better win rate.

"Maybe it's new elsewhere, but in Portugal we've discussed it a lot already. The focus remains continuing the work we've done over the last three and a half years.

"What I can point to is a very consistent campaign.

"We won the Nations League – the most demanding edition yet. We played 10 matches, advanced through the knockout rounds, defeated Germany in Germany, and then won the final against Spain.

"Those are significant achievements. The team is in excellent condition. The players have confidence, but they also understand that the World Cup is completely different from any other competition. We must prove ourselves all over again.

"When I arrived in Portugal, the objective was to try to win everything possible every day, but above all to prepare for the World Cup.

"Now we are here, 40 matches later, after winning the Nations League, and the focus remains exactly the same: The World Cup is what matters.

"Naturally, people may see it as news, but for me, it isn't really news. It's simply a fact, not a news story."

While Martinez confirmed Ruben Dias will not be available against DR Congo, Cristiano Ronaldo seems set to appear at a record-equalling sixth different World Cup.

Portugal have won only one of their last four opening matches at the World Cup, against Ghana in 2022 (3-2), a match Ronaldo scored in.

Their last three openers at the tournament have produced 15 goals (six for, nine against), an average of five goals per game.

DR qualified via the inter-confederation play-offs – they beat Jamaica 1-0 after extra-time, in Mexico. Including play-offs, 10 of their 13 qualifying matches were drawn (two) or decided by a one-goal margin (six wins, two losses).

"We all have enormous respect for what Congo and their coach have accomplished," Martinez added.

"We're talking about a team that finished ahead of Cameroon and Nigeria. Then they performed very well at the continental level. I would describe them as a very flexible team. They are not simply a team that sits deep and defends.

"They defend space extremely well and have many players competing in major European leagues."