Belgium appoint Martinez

Belgium have confirmed the appointment of former Everton boss Roberto Martinez to succeed Marc Wilmots.

The Spaniard was dismissed by Everton in May just before the end of a disappointing Premier League campaign, bringing to an end his three-year spell at Goodison Park.

He will take charge of a Belgium side who failed to live up to the pre-tournament hype at Euro 2016, suffering a 3-1 quarter-final exit at the hands of Wales.

That led to Wilmots losing his job as Belgium sought a new direction for their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

In Martinez they have turned to a man whose entire managerial career has been spent in England.

Having started out at Swansea City, where he won the third-tier title, he went on to enjoy a spell at Wigan Athletic that included an against-the-odds FA Cup triumph in 2012-13.

Despite claiming fifth spot in his first season in charge at Everton, the two campaigns that followed showed a decline in form and Martinez was dismissed with one game of the 2015-16 campaign remaining.