Portugal had an up and down showing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, delivering clutch victories, but ultimately falling well short of its goal. Portugal sputtered in the round of 16, losing 1-0 to Spain as it lacked attacking prowess.
Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo competed valiantly in his final World Cup appearance, which he confirmed earlier in the tournament. At age 41, he started each Portugal match and became the oldest European soccer player to score at a Men’s World Cup.
Ronaldo will continue to compete at the club level, while his Portuguese teammates carry on the country’s quest for its first World Cup title.
So what’s next for Portugal’s players after the 2026 World Cup?
Ronaldo started all five of Portugal’s fixtures at the 2026 World Cup. He scored twice during the group stage against Uzbekistan, and converted a penalty kick in Portugal’s 2-1 victory against Croatia in the round of 32, his first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout round match. Ultimately, though, he left his potentially final World Cup appearance empty-handed. Ronaldo will return to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr for his fifth season with the club.
Many regard Fernandes as Portugal’s most talented player, currently. He did not live up to that regard at the 2026 World Cup, recording one assist in five matches. The lack of inventiveness in a talented midfield on-paper was crucial to Portugal’s undoing. Fernandes will return for his seventh season at Manchester United, where he’s the club captain.
Vitinha was similarly disappointing at the 2026 World Cup. He failed to record a single involvement throughout the group stage before a heel injury kept him out of both of Portugal’s knockout games. Vitinha is a decorated player with Paris Saint-Germain, where he’s won four consecutive French League titles, and two straight Champions League titles, including in 2026. He’ll return for a fifth season with the star-studded PSG team, and try to continue that run of success.
Like Vitinha, Nuno Mendes also plays for Paris Saint-Germain, and will return to help continue that run of success. However, he may have picked up an injury in Portugal’s final game as he exited the defeat to Spain in the 56th minute because of a hamstring injury. Mendes scored once against Uzbekistan, and before getting hurt, put forth a respectable effort, defending Spain’s Lamine Yamal.
Neves is the third of four Portugal players — the fourth being Gonçalo Ramos — who plays for PSG. This past season was his second with the French side, so he has a ways to go to catch his Portuguese teammates in terms of hardware. But at 21 years old, he has the time to do so.
Dias played all five matches for Portugal, helping it to two clean sheets and conceding just three goals. He’ll return to Premier League giants Manchester City for a seventh season. After finishing second in the Premier League in 2025-26 and third the year prior, Man City is seeking to return to its form of winning four straight league titles, which came in Dias’ first four seasons in Manchester.
Silva is entering his first season at Spanish side Real Madrid after nine seasons with Manchester City, where he won six Premier League titles.
