Former Everton manager Roberto Martinez arguably had the greatest set of Belgium players of all time at his disposal, but he was unable to deliver trophies. After failing to progress from the group stages of the Qatar World Cup, the Spaniard announced that he would no longer be in charge of the Belgian national team.

It had already been agreed prior to the tournament that Martinez’s contract would not be renewed if he didn’t bring success this time. Now, could the former Goodison Park favourite be set to return to the Premier League?

World Cup Has Proved a Shocker for Bettors

There’s no doubt that this World Cup has been a highly unpredictable one for anyone staking on the games. Belgium were one of the favourites to win the competition before a goal was kicked, but now they are going home. Instead, bettors are able to find odds on Argentina v Australia, Netherlands v USA, and Japan v Croatia as many of the underdogs made it through to the knockout stages. Argentina and the Netherlands are heavy favourites in those games, with Lionel Messi’s side placed at 1/5 to prevail. Still, it feels as if there are many surprises still to come.

Few would have predicted that Belgium would bow out as early as the group stage. Despite the fact that the squad is aging slightly, they still possess some of the world’s best players including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. They were drawn in a group alongside Croatia, Morocco, and Canada, and many people thought they would walk it. There was clearly some discontent behind the scenes, as things just didn’t click for the Red Devils this time out. Martinez appears to be only the first casualty of this golden era.

Could Martinez Return to the Premier League?

Martinez spent all of his managerial career in England before he was named the Belgium national team coach. It was his performances at club level that earned him the call, especially his time at Everton between 2013 and 2016. Toffees fans will remember the 2013-14 season most fondly, as Martinez pulled off a stunning league campaign.

That year, Everton charged to a fifth-place finish with their highest points tally ever recorded in the Premier League. They also completed a double over Manchester United, making it even sweeter. Martinez never quite replicated that form and was ultimately sacked at the end of the 2015-16 season, but he is still remembered fondly by many. Indeed, there were calls to bring him back after Rafa Benitez was offloaded last season.

Martinez is still relatively young and should have a long coaching career ahead of him. That means it is likely that he will sign another managerial role sooner than later. A return to the Premier League could be a good bet, and he may be touted in the latter stages of the competition when relegation-threatened teams start to sack their managers left, right, and centre.

It's most likely that Martinez will look to rest and recuperate for a couple of months after Belgium’s disappointing showing in Qatar. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the hot chair soon, though. A return to England would be the best option for the Spaniard.