Five hundred years later, football has once again positioned Portugal as a global brand

With just four years to go, how will Portugal present itself at the 2030 World Cup?

The 2030 World Cup will be far more than just the biggest football competition ever hosted in Portugal. For an entire month, billions of people will follow the tournament daily.

Portugal has never had the opportunity to benefit from a global platform of this magnitude.

Football is no longer just a game. It has become the premier stage for countries to represent themselves internationally, and simultaneously, the last great space for societies to find a sense of belonging. While almost everything else divides us—politics, social media, ideologies, or generations—the national team's jersey continues to unite and represent a nation.

It is precisely for this reason that the 2030 World Cup will not just be a sporting challenge. It will be a strategic choice: what image do we want to project of Portugal?

Amidst all the daily urgencies we face, who is leading the definition of this strategy? And who will execute it?

The 2026 World Cup offered important insights. Beyond Spain, Norway and Cape Verde also emerged as champions. Not by winning the title, but by leveraging the competition to tell the world who they were.

Norway unreservedly embraced its Viking heritage, transforming it into a contemporary narrative. Symbols, communication, and fans turned history into a competitive advantage.

Cape Verde did the same on its own scale. A small nation showcased its joy, the strength of its diaspora, the courage to face the best, and immense national pride. Billions of people began to empathize with a country that, for many, was practically unknown.

In both cases, there was perfect harmony between the teams on the field, their playing style, and the passion of the fans in the stands.

Both benefited from a decision that was heavily criticized when it was made: the expansion of the World Cup. It stemmed from political, financial, and electoral reasons, but it produced an unexpectedly positive effect.

Without sacrificing sporting merit—as all teams still earn their right to participate on the field—the World Cup now much better represents the diversity of the world.

When a decision made for the wrong reasons yields a good outcome, it should not be reversed. It's likely that FIFA will indeed approve a further expansion for 2030, increasing the chances for countries like China, India, and Nigeria to also participate.

This evolution accompanies a much larger transformation. The World Cup has become the greatest international stage for nations. For a month, billions of people discover countries, form impressions, build sympathies, and reinforce feelings of belonging through a jersey, an anthem, and a national team.

Portugal will, therefore, have an unparalleled opportunity.

The national team's jersey is currently the country's most significant international symbol. No tourism, diplomatic, or business campaign can generate comparable attention.

The image we choose to project should center on the Age of Discoveries, as an expression of Portugal's most extraordinary achievements: the courage to set sail, mastery of the seas, scientific knowledge, innovation, and the ability to connect continents and build bridges between peoples.

Portugal became universal when it looked beyond the horizon. This remains its strongest identifying mark.

Five hundred years later, football has once again positioned Portugal as a global brand.

But a grand narrative demands institutions that are up to the task.

In a particularly hot summer, Portuguese refereeing needs, for a moment, to put its head in the freezer.

Refereeing is not the incurable disease of Portuguese football. It is the most visible symptom of a much deeper problem: growing distrust, institutional disorder, and the inability to generate minimal consensus.

The way an officiating error is viewed today has, in fact, mirrored the evolution of the perception Portuguese people have developed about their own institutions.

First, the suspicion of club favoritism. Then, accusations of cronyism, doubts about competence, the idea of subservience, and suspicions of career advancement favoritism.

Today, criminal investigations are underway related to alleged acts of corruption. Justice will do its part. But football must do its own.

The real problem isn't an individual. It's the system.

Delegating the management of refereeing to the referees' representative association makes as much sense as entrusting the National Coaches' Association with selecting the national coach or relying on the Players' Union to draw up the national team's squad list.

For many years, it was believed that the problem lay with individuals. Then it was concluded that perhaps it was in how they were chosen. Reality shows that the problem lies, above all, with the institutions.

Strong institutions do not depend on the virtue of their leaders. They are designed to limit discretionary power, create scrutiny mechanisms, and ensure that rules prevail over individuals.

Some years ago, the perception of a lack of transparency in appointments led to the introduction of conditioned referee draws. But technology has evolved.

Soon, Artificial Intelligence could generate proposals based on objective, transparent, and auditable criteria, leaving the final decision to the Arbitration Council, but requiring any alteration to be exceptional, justified, and public.

The goal will never be to replace human judgment. It will be to build a system where trust no longer depends on an individual but stems from the solidity of the rules.

Because, in 2030, Portugal will not just present a national team to the world. It will, above all, showcase the quality of its institutions, its organization, and its ability to transform football into an expression of the best the country has to offer.