Twenty-three years later, it was a strange sensation to hear a Portugal squad announced without Cristiano Ronaldo’s name in it.
And coach Jorge Jesus accentuated the sensation of a new start for Portugal by selecting a raft of youngsters for Portugal’s final two Nations League qualifiers, against Denmark and Wales next week.
It should be emphasised that JJ is not undertaking a wholesale revolution within the squad. He said after overseeing his fourth victory in four matches with the 2-1 triumph against Norway in Porto last month that he would use these games to take a closer look at some of the up-and-coming Portuguese talent in the pipeline.
That said, although the Nations League and Euro 2028 are the challenges on the horizon for the veteran manager, he no doubt has one eye on World Cup 2030, which Portugal are jointly hosting.
The young players called into the senior squad, several for the first time, are all 23 years old or younger and could feasibly be established stars in the starting XI by the time the World Cup in the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco rolls around.
Who are these potential Portugal stars of the future?
Name: Rodrigo Mora
Age: 19 (05/05/2007)
Position: attacking midfielder
Club: Roma
The youngest of the sextet but perhaps the most exciting prospect of the lot. Mora burst onto the scene two years ago in a brilliant debut season for FC Porto. Making his debut for the Dragons at 17 years of age, he scored 11 goals and provided 4 assists and often carried a struggling team on his youthful back. However, new coach Francesco Farioli was not a big fan. The Italian manager puts more emphasis on physicality rather than the subtle skillset of technicians such as Mora, and after losing protagonism last season the teenager transferred to Roma in the summer.
He has become increasing influential under the watchful eye of Gian Piero Gasperini in Roma’s storming start to Serie A. Should he continue to develop, Mora has every chance of emulating a former Portuguese star who shone brightly in Italy, a certain Rui Costa, with whom he can be compared in terms of the aesthetic beauty of his game and the position he plays in. In an age of robotic footballers, rigid systems and super athletes, Mora is a refreshing throwback to the old-style No10.
Name: Mateus Fernandes
Age: 22 (10/07/2004)
Position: midfielder
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Getting relegated two years running with two different clubs is not the ideal calling card. Yet the misfortunes of Mateus Fernandes at Southampton and West Ham fooled nobody. He stood out for both teams, and the transfer fees paid for his services are a better indication of the impact he has made in the world’s most high-profile league. Southampton paid Sporting €18.7 million to bring him from Portugal to England, West Ham splashed out €52.25 million to sign him, and Tottenham almost double that amount, €99 million, to buy him from their London neighbours.
A hard-working, tough-tackling, energetic but technically proficient all-action midfielder, Fernandes will surely have his eye on the holding midfielder position currently occupied by either Rúben Neves or João Palhinha, and always a key role in Jorge Jesus’ teams.
Name: Geovany Quenda
Age: 19 (30/04/2007)
Position: winger
Club: Chelsea
Similarly to his long-time international teammate in the youth teams, Rodrigo Mora, in 2024/25 Geovany Quenda enjoyed a fantastic first season in senior football as he helped Ruben Amorim’s Sporting win the championship, playing 54 matches despite the fact he was just 17 years old when the campaign began.
Just like Mora, his second season was less impressive. Injuries and a loss of form made him less influential for the Lions, although a return of 6 goals and 9 assists from 32 matches is still an impressive output for a teenager. Quenda swapped the Portuguese capital for the English one, and he is still finding his feet at Chelsea.
Name: Gustavo Varela
Age: 21 (30/01/2005)
Position: striker
Club: Monza
“Varela is a kid who has only gone and become the top scorer in Serie A. To do that you have to have quality, especially as a 21-year-old.” That was the explanation Jorge Jesus gave for calling up the striker who has set the Italian top flight alight with his sensational start to the season. There is no arguing with 11 goals from 11 games for Monza. Although Varela gave good indications during his spell on loan at Gil Vicente last season, his prolific form has taken many by surprise and may well make Benfica regret letting him slip through their grasp.
Name: Flávio Nazinho
Age: 23 (20/07/2003)
Position: left-back
Club: Monaco
Like all the names in this list, Flávio Nazinho is another player who came through the ranks at one of Portugal’s Big Three, Sporting in his case. The left-back only played 11 senior matches for the Lisbon outfit before moving to Club Brugge in Belgium. He subsequently switched to Monaco and has made a solid start to life in the principality. He is an ever-present this season. He was not called into the original squad but was drafted in when Nuno Tavares had to pull out with injury.
Name: Carlos Forbs
Age: 22 (19/03/2004)
Position: winger
Club: Club Brugge
Carlos Forbs has packed a lot into his young career. At just 15 years of age, he moved from Portugal to England to join Manchester City’s youth academy, where he made a name for himself winning academy awards, but could not break into the senior team. A move to Ajax was his next step, followed by a brief return to England where he got to play in the Premier League at last, on loan at Wolves.
He was on the move again ahead of the 2025/26 season, moving to Club Brugge where he has thrived, both domestically and in Europe such as when he scored twice and picked up the man-of-the-match award in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Barcelona. His performances for the Belgians last season earned him his first Seleção cap against Armenia in Portugal’s final World Cup qualifier, although the winger did not make the cut for the tournament. With Rafael Leão out injured, the lightning-fast Forbs may get his chance to impress JJ at close quarters.
