The Alarming Lack of a Plan for the National Team

What's truly alarming about the Portuguese national team's recent performances isn't just the perceived lack of quality, but the glaring absence of a coherent plan.

That's precisely what distinguishes a top-tier team from a mere collection of players: a collective intentionality, a clear declaration of purpose. It's what allows us to identify the team's identity, even if the eleven players on the field were to swap jerseys.

The match against Colombia was the national team's first real test in this competition. The weather conditions were far from ideal, and the Colombian side had shown promising form in previous games. However, these factors don't fully explain the team's structural issues and the lack of clear tactical ideas. Martínez is now in his fourth year, yet the collective project remains elusive. A pattern emerges: an unwavering respect for high-profile players, and an attempt to alter the team's dynamics through individual substitutions. Notice how the team improved with Dalot and João Neves in the last game. This improvement stems from individual and physical growth, not from enhanced tactical concepts. At the 70-minute mark, Vitinha and Félix were replaced by Samu and Leão. Players are swapped to change tactics, a reactive approach: Samu for his fighting spirit, Leão to stretch the play. It's an admission that control of the game has been lost.

Without a collective identity, the team devolves into a collection of individuals. It's difficult to discern the team's ideas when they have possession or when they win it back. Do they defend zonally? Man-to-man? Does it depend on the situation? And in attack? Do they favor the flanks or central play? Do the full-backs overlap or cut inside? What about the wingers? Because these spatial occupations are player-dependent, we often see conflicting positioning.

I believe we will ultimately defeat Croatia. We are individually superior, and we risk relying on individual brilliance to win the game.

Even in a poor performance against Colombia, Leão nearly salvaged the game in the final minutes. In the absence of a clear strategy, individual flashes of brilliance become the team's guiding light. Failing to beat Croatia would make Portugal the disappointment of the tournament.

They say the real World Cup starts now. Perhaps that's true: watching Canada vs. South Africa, it's clear these are two teams that wouldn't have progressed further in a different format. Japan falls, but they fall clinging to an idea, in a second half where Vinícius decides the game and Ancelotti triumphs. Good players also thrive within a strong team framework.