Longing at Farewell

“There are no more painful longings than those for things that never were.” Fernando Pessoa once said this. He certainly wasn't referring to football. But wisdom has the gift of adaptability and suitability.

Portugal's farewell to the 2026 World Cup leaves a sense of longing. Not for what the Navigators proved to be on the field, but for all that they never were and could have been. A collective with clear ideas. A squad with defined principles, embraced from day one. A team aware of its potential without becoming arrogant. A national side grounded in reality without being timid.

Bidding farewell to a World Cup in the round of 16 isn't dramatic. It's not even the end of the world. If we reduce ourselves to the narrow-minded thought that we lack tradition in the competition, then there's no reason for discontent. It was just a bad day. Or “just another day at the office,” like so many others…

And while the lack of tradition at the highest level might be evidenced by the absence of results in World Cup knockout stages, the 2026 Portuguese national team carries different responsibilities. It possesses different “weapons.” It operates within a different context.

Portugal boasts an exemplary Football City with modern infrastructure. The Portuguese Football Federation is financially sound. Portugal has some of the world's best players currently competing in top leagues globally, where they are leading figures. They are accustomed to competing at the highest level.

As if all this weren't enough, Portugal also has the greatest finisher in football history. The problem was not knowing what to do with him. Start him or leave him on the bench?

Roberto Martinez never had doubts about this. Probably the only dogmatic and unquestionable certainty for the former national coach was what to do with Cristiano Ronaldo. However, guaranteeing the Portuguese star's starting spot was not (and could not be) a guarantee of success.

What was missing was knowing how to utilize CR7 effectively. How to build a system that made players comfortable in the build-up phase. How to create conditions for players to be free in the creative phase. How to establish routines that promoted creativity in the decision-making phase. And that also maximized the Portuguese captain's finishing ability.

None of this materialized. All that remains is the longing for what never was…