Roberto Martínez Explains Injury Sidelining Rúben Dias from World Cup Opener

National coach Roberto Martínez provided an update early Wednesday morning ahead of Portugal's 2026 World Cup Group K opener against DR Congo. The manager clarified that Rúben Dias's injury, which will sideline him for the match against the Congolese, was sustained during the recent friendly against Nigeria, the final warm-up game for the Seleção. Martínez emphasized that the injury is unrelated to the physical issues Dias experienced throughout the season with Manchester City.

“I can confirm that Rúben Dias arrived in excellent condition. He played the full 90 minutes in his last club match, which always helps. He trained very well during our preparation, but unfortunately, football is a contact sport. What he suffered was a knock in the game against Nigeria. We conducted tests, and everything is structurally sound. We won't take any risks. Medically, we need players to be 100% for a World Cup match. Rúben's situation was a footballing moment, a contact incident that can happen, and it has no connection to what occurred during his season with Manchester City,” he explained.