Portugal's Midfield Brilliance Is Being Overshadowed by Ronaldo's Presence

Portugal may have the world’s best midfield, but the article argues that one huge personality is stopping it from fully flourishing. Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva are presented as elite, intelligent midfielders who control games through vision, balance, timing, passing angles and decision making, not brute force or speed.

Vitinha, at 1.72 meters and 64 kilograms in a wet shirt, says he was always underestimated because he was never the tallest, strongest or fastest. That, he said, only made him work harder and become tougher. Neves, listed at 1.74 meters, is described as a master of second balls, body positioning and quick turns under pressure. Together with Silva and Fernandes, they represent a small, clever generation that maximizes its physical tools rather than lamenting what it lacks.

The problem, the piece says, is Cristiano Ronaldo. At 41, he can no longer be a starting striker for a serious team, does not move well and does not mesh with a midfield that still cannot turn him into a dominant forward. The writer also says Ronaldo, or people around him, adds political baggage that harms the national team.

The flashpoint came after Portugal’s disappointing match against Congo, when a reporter asked Neves how the team balances a superstar with a strong collective. Neves replied respectfully that Ronaldo has done a great deal for Portugal and world football, but that now he feels he is “one of us,” just another player trying to help. That answer was clipped and spread online, triggering backlash from Ronaldo supporters in Pakistan, the United States and Portugal, and even forcing Neves’ partner to lock down her Instagram account. Ronaldo later posted a photo of himself with Neves and the words “Always united.” The article ends by urging Israeli coaches to value intelligence, adaptability and problem solving over height, strength and speed.