Nuno Mendes

Analysis: Mendes had a difficult outing in Wednesday's 1-1 World Cup draw with DR Congo, despite a few attacking situations, including a 17th minute run into the area that forced a close-range stop before Bruno Fernandes missed the rebound. He stayed involved in Portugal's left-sided attacks and sent a low cross into danger early in the second half, but the team struggled to turn possession into clear finishing chances. Mendes couldn't bring his usual quality shown with PSG and ended the game with three crosses (none accurate) and one tackle.

Jun 10, 2026

Planned sub after 30 minutes

Mendes was taken off after 30 minutes of play in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Nigeria in a friendly, according to manager Roberto Martinez, per AS Quinas. "Nuno? There's no injury. He was only planned to play 30 minutes."

Analysis: Mendes was taken off after only 30 minutes of play Wednesday after only entering as a substitute, raising some concerns about his health. However, after a post-match press conference, it has been deemed that this was a planned substitute, and he is fit, a major relief for Portuguese fans. This comes amid speculation that he will be an engine of the Portugal team from his left-back spot, so his absence would be a major loss. At this point, it appears he is still cleared to make the opener, facing DR Congo on June 17.