The Midfield and the 1+3 Formula

As the football adage goes, matches are often won in midfield. Regardless of whether a team opts for a more direct or associative playing style, the side that better controls the central corridor typically edges closer to victory.

Looking at all the national teams participating in this 2026 World Cup, it seems clear to me that Portugal boasts the most intelligent, complementary, and potentially decisive midfield in the entire tournament.

This midfield is capable of providing Roberto Martínez with countless technical and tactical solutions. However, in my view, it should operate using a 1+3 formation: Vitinha as the deepest midfielder, Bernardo Silva as the right interior midfielder, Bruno Fernandes as the central midfielder, and João Neves as the left interior midfielder.

This configuration, besides enabling the use of a two-striker system (benefiting Portugal in reaching finishing zones), would be ideal for extracting the best performance from each of the four main Portuguese midfielders, both individually and collectively.

Vitinha and Bernardo Silva would be the primary engines for both build-up and creative phases. Positioned side-by-side or in more asymmetrical roles, in the half-spaces or across different lines as needed, they would guarantee quality, discernment, and precision in how Portugal plays out from the back.

Bruno Fernandes and João Neves, despite their differing characteristics and innate abilities, both possess a strong knack for arriving in goal-scoring positions. They would have much more freedom and ease in advancing into these areas if they were less involved in the initial phase of Portugal's attacking moves.

With this 1+3 formula, Portugal could finally establish an effective interior game and a positional attack that favors the characteristics of the Portuguese midfielders, as well as the connection with the two strikers and the wide play provided by the full-backs' overlaps.

And in defensive moments, who would defend?

I believe the best form of defense is to maintain possession and prevent the opponent from having the ball. With an organized and functional positional attack, underpinned by this intelligent and discerning 1+3 midfield, Portugal would always have players well-positioned and at ideal distances to react quickly to losing possession. This would prevent defensive transitions that force players into 50 or 60-meter sprints back towards their own goal.