After the Portuguese national team stopped in the 1/8 round of the 2026 World Cup against Spain, former player Ricardo Quaresma criticized the team's performance as well as coach Roberto Martinez.
His statements quickly attracted attention and led to a direct debate with center-back Ruben Dias.
In a commentary on a television channel, Quaresma questioned coach Roberto Martinez's "proud" statement after the defeat.
Proud of what? I still don't understand what he is proud of. He once led a very talented generation of Belgium but won nothing. Even Portugal with another great generation has not achieved anything. We have a Nations League title. Is that enough? For me, that's too little," the former Portuguese international said.
Quaresma believes that the Portuguese national team possesses many quality players but does not create a unique playing style. The responsibility belongs to the coaching staff when constantly changing tactical operations without bringing efficiency.
Not long after that, Ruben Dias responded when commenting that the match against Spain was one of Portugal's most balanced performances since he wore the national team jersey.
This center-back defends the philosophy of controlling the ball, patience and balance in his playing style, and also believes that the team should not be judged only by individual handling.
Quaresma immediately refuted his junior's point of view. He believes that Portugal needs to exploit more of the breakthrough ability of players like Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto or Francisco Conceição instead of just maintaining ball control.
According to the 41-year-old former star, the team needs to play directly and create more pressure on the opponent's defense.
In conclusion, Quaresma assessed Portugal's entire 2026 World Cup campaign as a failure, and affirmed that he has not seen the team have a truly convincing match under Roberto Martinez.
