Bruno Fernandes has pinpointed Portugal's decision to 'drop too deep' in the second half as the fatal mistake that cost them a place in the World Cup quarter-finals, after Spain snatched a 91st-minute winner through substitute Mikel Merino. The Manchester United captain expressed his frustration following the 1-0 defeat in Dallas, believing his side had the quality to go all the way but squandered their chances by abandoning their attacking approach.
Fernandes reveals tactical error
Speaking to Portuguese media after the match, Fernandes was unequivocal about where the game was lost. 'In the first half, we were superior, but in the second half we made the mistake again of dropping too deep and giving the ball to the opponent. When that happens, we end up suffering,' he said. 'Spain deserves credit, but I believe that if we had continued doing what we were doing in the first half, we would have left here with a different result.'
Portugal had started brightly, with goalkeeper Diogo Costa making a fine double save to deny Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena, while Mikel Oyarzabal wasted a golden chance for Spain early on. However, the introduction of four substitutes by Spain coach Luis de la Fuente changed the dynamic, and it was Merino, an Arsenal midfielder, who proved decisive. Ferran Torres set him up, and Merino calmly slotted past Costa to break Portuguese hearts.
Ronaldo's emotional farewell
The defeat brought an emotional end to Cristiano Ronaldo's sixth World Cup, with the veteran forward seen wiping away tears as referee Anthony Taylor blew the final whistle. Ronaldo's international future is now in doubt, as he equalled the record for most World Cup appearances. For Spain, attention turns to a quarter-final against either Belgium or the USA as they chase a second global title.
Fernandes struggled to find positives but stressed the need for Portugal to stay true to their identity. 'The assessment can't be positive. It would only be positive if we reached the end,' he added. 'I know we've never won a World Cup and we always set the bar very high, but, with some certainty, this group had the quality to win the World Cup. There's no need to lose faith. We lost against one of the favourites and we have to look ahead differently. We have to be more true to ourselves, play our way, and find ways to make teams respect us more.'
Martinez confirms departure
After the match, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez confirmed that it would be his last game in charge after three-and-a-half years. 'It's true that this is my last game,' he explained. 'But I have to thank the Portuguese people, it was an incredible source of pride. I will carry this memory with me for the rest of my life. I also want to thank the players for their work. These were years of records.'
Fernandes, who hit the side-netting in the 76th minute, was left to rue a missed opportunity. 'We faltered by giving Spain too much of the game, which is what they really want. Then our legs start to get heavy, the spaces start to get bigger. We should have continued to be aggressive, tried to prevent Spain from playing so much, we should have played more with the ball, we have the quality for that and we ended up losing ourselves a little. It's a missed opportunity, we had the quality to win the World Cup. We couldn't get the best out of everyone in the best way and we left the World Cup prematurely.'
