Rafael Leao stayed on the bench for Portugal against Colombia at the 2026 World Cup, and Bernardo Silva was also left out of the starting lineup. Portugal entered the match with first place in Group K on the line, so Roberto Martinez had already settled on a narrow attacking setup before kickoff.
Pedro Neto and Joao Felix
Pedro Neto and Joao Felix were Martinez’s preferred wingers, which left Leao as a substitute again. He had already been benched in Portugal’s two previous 2026 World Cup games, and he had played both of them as a substitute.
That made this selection a clear pattern, not a one-off call. Even after Leao scored against Uzbekistan, he still did not force his way into the starting group for Portugal’s matchup with Colombia.
Portugal, Colombia, and Group K
The sequence matters because Portugal’s first two World Cup matches had already told the story of its lineup choices. The opening game against DR Congo was a lackluster debut, then Portugal beat Uzbekistan in its second World Cup match and regained some of its contender status.
Against Colombia, the absences in the starting side cut both ways. Luis Diaz and Daniel Muñoz were not starting for Colombia, while Nelson Semedo was also not starting because Joao Cancelo was playing at a very high level. That left the match in Group K shaped by selection decisions as much as by form.
Leao’s place in Portugal
For Leao, the immediate reality is simple: a goal against Uzbekistan did not change Martinez’s preference on the wing. Pedro Neto and Joao Felix kept the starting spots, and Bernardo Silva remained out of the lineup as well.
The unanswered piece is whether that hierarchy holds for Portugal’s next match. What did not change against Colombia was Martinez’s trust in the same wide pair, even with first place in Group K at stake.
