Roberto Martinez's work as head coach of the likes of Everton, Portugal and Belgium means he's managed and competed against some of the best footballers on the planet. Players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku have all played under the 51-year-old.
He's faced some elite players during his time as a manager too, with stars like Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe taking his sides on over the years. He recently led Portugal to just their third major trophy ever, as they beat Spain on penalties in the UEFA Nations League final.
Initially starting off as Swansea City manager, Martinez made a name for himself with Wigan Athletic and then Everton in the Premier League. He spent seven years in the top flight before he was dismissed as Toffees boss in May 2016. Just months later, he took his talents to international football and coached Belgium for six years. Now, he's Portugal boss and off the back of the UEFA Nations League triumph, his stature in football continues to hold strong. His opinion holds a lot of weight and he once described an Aston Villa hero as one of the best English players ever.
greatest players-1 Related
35 Greatest Football Players Of All Time (2025)
The 35 greatest footballers of all time have been named but who comes out on top; Messi, Ronaldo or Maradona?
Martinez Thinks Gareth Barry is One of the Best English Players Ever
No one has played more Premier League games than Barry
Gareth Barry
If you ask most football fans, particularly Premier League fans, Gareth Barry would be considered underrated. Shaun Wright-Phillips certainly said as much. The former midfielder played more games in the top flight, for the likes of Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton, than anyone else ever has. He lifted the league title on one occasion and won the FA Cup too. He played at least 30 league games in the top flight in 18 of 19 straight seasons.
He even played 53 times for his national team. Still, he's not considered one of the best footballers to come out of England and is underrated in the eyes of most. Not Martinez, though, he actually called him one of the best English players ever. The two worked together at Everton for three years and it clearly made an impression on the manager.
Speaking about Barry, as quoted by the Mirror, Martinez said:
"For me, he is one of the best English players ever. The way he behaves and the way he plays, you can build a team around him."
It's a bold shout, but if anyone can appreciate Barry's greatness, it's someone who got to see him play up close for such a long period of time.
Gareth Barry's Premier League Career
Team
Aston Villa
Manchester City
Everton
West Bromwich Albion
Total
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 17/06/2025