Four requirements for Portugal to build a World Cup winning squad  

“Champions realise that defeat - and learning from it even more than from winning - is part of the path to mastery.”  - Rasheed Ogunlaru

Euro 2020 was a revelatory tournament. An exposé highlighting essential criteria for building modern, championship-calibre teams. It also advertised characteristics which have proven most successful in major tournaments spanning many generations, football cultures, and the tactical zeitgeist.

Gonçalo Paciência is back at Eintracht Frankfurt ahead of the upcoming Bundesliga season, and for the ex-Porto striker there is little doubt the new campaign represents a pivotal moment in his career.

Paciência spent last season on-loan with fellow German top flight side Schalke, who were relegated following a humiliating year in which they won just three matches. For Paciência, just one league goal from nine starts as injury issues resurfaced, leading to over four months out with a knee problem.

Euro 2020 is rapidly fading into the distance as supporters of 23 nations continue to ponder what went wrong. Fortunately, there is just over 16 months until a chance at redemption at the 2022 World Cup.

Many Portuguese ‘supporters’ are hoping that the likely campaign in Qatar will be undertaken without Fernando Santos. The Seleção head coach has come under severe criticism from all corners of the football world.

With a contract running until July 2024 and the support of the squad, there is next to no chance Santos won’t be on the touchline in Qatar. That won’t stop many from persisting with the relentless criticism aimed at the most successful manager in the history of Portuguese football.

PortuGOAL’s Matthew Marshall argues the case for sticking with Santos. 

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  Rodrigues Antonio — Roberto Mancini is proof in the pudding. Santos gave us a Championship, we are very grateful. Now let's move on. Santos will never change. He will play scared for the rest of his coaching career, anybody saying otherwise doesn't completely understand Santos. Our game as become too boring and predict......
  Rolf Gerber — Santos + Ronaldo is the unholy alliance that will hold the seleção down and provide in Quatar the same result as 2018 & 2021. I was shredded in this blog when I mentioned that I‘d have preferred Ronaldo out from Covid rather than Cancelo. Well after this pathetic tourney, are you still loyal......
  DaSilva — Santos can most definitely coach a Portugal side without Ronaldo. Having him in the lineup further limits an already defensive-minded attack. Santos in. Ronaldo out....

It’s been a frustrating six months for João Félix. Things appeared to be on the up for the former Benfica star early last season as he picked up the November Player of the Month award in La Liga following a string of dazzling performances for Atletico Madrid.

But injury marred the second half of the season for Félix, he came in for extreme criticism from former Manchester United skipper-turned-pundit Roy Keane at Euro 2020, and as soon as the tournament ended he went under the knife for an operation to fix a long-standing ankle problem. 

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  Nunogomes21 — How a player who played as a substitute in one match could be blamed for the failing of a whole team is ludicrous. Roy Keane is the clown....

Portugal defender José Fonte has signed a new contract with Lille, tying himself to the French champions for at least another season.

The 37-year-old’s deal at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy expired at the end of June having captained Lille to the Ligue 1 title. Fonte has been at the club for three seasons and was an almost ever-present last term, missing just two league matches as Christophe Galtier’s side beat Paris Saint-Germain to the championship.

Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício has completed his long-anticipated move from Wolverhampton Wanderers to AS Roma on a three-year deal, the Italian club confirmed on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old becomes José Mourinho’s first signing since taking charge of the Giallorossi earlier this summer. Meanwhile, Wolves are expected to sign fellow Seleção ‘keeper José Sá from Olympiacos as Patrício’s replacement.

João Mário has joined Benfica on a free transfer after reportedly cancelling his contract with Inter Milan to complete his move to the Eagles, ahead of interest from former club Sporting.

The want-away Portugal international signs a five-year-deal with the Estádio da Luz outfit after months of speculation linking him to a permanent switch back to Sporting, where he won the Primeira Liga just last season whilst on loan from the 'Nerazzurri'.

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  Nunogomes21 — Personally I never rated him very highly and would have preferred they give someone else a shot. With that said, he’s still better than half of Benficas midfielders, so it’s an improvement, even if just a small one. Well since your here hope you work out...
  Tomas Sheehan — Hes a clown ? for moving to benfica pure lack 9f respect for sporting and obviously whent about it a sneaky way too... Hope sporting can hold onto mendes palinha etc for this season... forca sporting .......
  Joao — Its annoying to see this but I'm sure most Sporting fans aren't too brothered by this, Joao Mario was a decent midfielder and by far not our best player when we won the league, so it's not really a noticeable loss....

After a brilliant breakout campaign with Benfica and his consequent record-breaking move to Atletico Madrid, João Félix was backed to become an immediate superstar for Portugal.

However, he has struggled to take the next step in his development over the last two years, failing to make a decisive impact for Atletico in La Liga, despite their title win in the 2020/21 campaign. 

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  Jerrold Hewson — the video links are blank...
  jon/usa — Felix desperately needs to find a club that suits his style of play. He is without a doubt one of the best young talents in world football, but his quality is being wasted away at Atletico under Simeone. He needs to go to a club that plays proactive, attack-minded football. It doesn't have to be a C......
  SupremoGino — João Félix is a free flowing kind of footballer. The modern game doesn't suit him well. All these teams do nowadays is safe and boring passes, control the tempo only with bigger and stronger athletes who have little or no actual football skills or creativity.. and chase the long balls all day tryi......

Portuguese defender Nuno Tavares has completed his move from Benfica to English Premier League club Arsenal on a long-term contract for a base fee of €8m.

The 21-year-old has been in discussions with the London club for several days and after spending a period in isolation and completing a medical Tavares’ move was finally made official by Arsenal on Saturday morning.

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  Nunogomes21 — Thought the last season, I thought Nuno Tavares showed real capabilities of being Benficas number 1 when they finally decide to cash in on Grimaldo. Instead they let this young promising player go (and not for an irresistible amount like in the past). I question what the hurry was with this? Now I......
  DaSilva — On a side note, Sporting has made subtle yet excellent moves. Most importantly, preserving the team. Joao Mario's departure is unfortunate however....
  DaSilva — I saw Nuno and got scared. Woah! Dodged a fast one. Nuno Mendes ain't going nowhere! Quite a different experience for young Portuguese players at Sporting. I suppose if you're only in it for the money, or maybe your parents are only in it for the money, than you'd prefer no game time at Benfica and ......

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  3. Wolves sign Portugal youngster Trincão on loan from Barcelona
  4. “I am a much better coach now” – Mourinho arrives at Roma
  5. “An unfinished love” Vítor Pereira returns as Fenerbahçe manager

      

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I am very happy to continue this adventure with LOSC. A big thank you to everyone, I will continue to give my all for Lille.”

José Fonte
(Portugal centre-back and Lille captain, after a signing contract extension with the French club) 
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