Portugal came into this World Cup with sky-high aspirations — but, once again, they have crashed out early. They have never won the World Cup before, their best runs being to the semifinals in 1966 and 2006 and appearing in just one quarterfinal since the latter.
On Monday afternoon in Dallas, their hopes went up in flames again, dumped out by Iberian neighbors Spain, with Mikel Merino the match-winner in injury time. So, in the aftermath of this heartbreaking defeat at Jerry World, here are four Portuguese players who we may never see at a World Cup again — with one in particular who is so often in the limelight.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved pretty much everything there is to achieve in soccer. Five Ballon d’Ors, five UEFA Champions League titles and 32 major club honors speak for themselves. He also ed Portugal to their first-ever major honor at Euro 2016, as well as picking up the UEFA Nations League trophy in both 2019 and 2025. However, the World Cup will remain illusive.
This summer, he did become the first man to score at six different World Cups with a brace against Uzbekistan, before finally netting in the knockout phase for the first time by converting a spot-kick during the comeback victory over Croatia. However, now 41 years old, this is surely the end of the line.
His tally of 233 caps is a world record, 20 more than Lionel Messi, as are his 146 international goals, (with Messi also second on this list, 21 adrift). However, have we seen him in a Portugal shirt for the last time? Well, now that Roberto Martínez has departed, whoever replaces him would probably have a much easier task if Ronaldo announced his international retirement to focus on reaching the 1,000 goals mark over in Saudi Arabia; he needs just 30 more.
However, it would not surprise anyone if he wanted to stay on with Euro 2028 the aim, or if he’s given a farewell game in the UEFA Nations League later this year with Wales visiting Lisbon in September. In World Cup terms, even though Portugal are co-hosting in four summers time, surely a 45-year-old Ronaldo won’t be involved … right?
Bernardo Silva
Slightly less newsworthy, but there are many other world-class Portuguese players for whom this was the last chance, making their underwhelming exit all the more frustrating. Of the 2018 World Cup squad, only three players were on the roster this summer, one of whom is Bernardo Silva. He has just ended his nine-year association with Manchester City, although the fact that he’s joined Real Madrid suggests he is far from finished as an elite-level player.
Nevertheless, his performances in the Premier League underlined that he is clearly on the decline. Now 31 years old, he has 113 caps to his name, with only Ronaldo, Pepe, João Moutinho and Luís Figo boasting more, and he’s scored 14 times for his country. Thus, Silva will surely be in the plans of the team’s new manager, but this is unlikely to extend all the way to the World Cup on home soil in 2030.
Bruno Fernandes
Alongside Ronaldo and Silva, the only other player in the squad from Russia that is still around today is Bruno Fernandes. Back then, he was still playing for Sporting CP following a mixed stint in Italy, and had never appeared in a competitive international tournament before. Now, though, he has 94 caps to his name, scoring his 29th international goal against Chile at Estádio Nacional in a pre-tournament friendly.
This World Cup was supposed to be one at which Fernandes made himself even more of a global superstar, but that did not happen. Last season, he became the first player in Premier League history to surpass 20 assists in a single campaign. He has been carrying Manchester United for years, but has never been able to do the same for his country, and this was seemingly the 31-year-old’s final chance to do so at a World Cup.
João Cancelo
Lastly, few players like a transfer quite as much as João Cancelo. The right-back played for seven of Europe’s biggest clubs before signing for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia two years ago (though he joined Barcelona on loan back in January). He has always been a precocious talent, hence why so many managers have been willing to sign him up. But he’s also one who is difficult to get the best out of — underlined by the fact they are so often quick to let him go.
At international level, since his senior debut a decade ago, Cancelo has accumulated 73 caps, starting all five World Cup matches this summer and scoring twice during qualifying. However, with his club future uncertain, surplus to requirements at Al-Hilal, it remains to be seen how important the new Portuguese head coach will make the 32-year-old.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
