As Portugal prepares for a heavyweight Group K finale against Colombia, manager Roberto Martinez has raised eyebrows by dropping midfield maestro Bernardo Silva to the bench.
The confirmed lineups for Portugal and Colombia are locked in. Both teams feature genuine surprises in their starting elevens, largely because both nations are fighting to decide who walks away as the outright leader of Group K.
In a surprising turn of events, Bernardo Silva is heading to the bench once again, having also been left out of the starting lineup against Uzbekistan. This appears to be a purely tactical decision by manager Roberto Martinez, as the midfielder does not carry an injury designation.
Bernardo Silva’s rough start to the 2026 World Cup
The Portugal vs. Colombia clash will heavily shake up the looks of the Round of 32 bracket. For this reason, Roberto Martínez has opted for a highly calculated lineup to avoid an upset and secure the group leadership with a vital victory.
Bernardo Silva #10 of Portugal runs with the ball.
Unfortunately for Bernardo Silva, he is not currently regarded as an indispensable game-changer for the Europeans. He did start for Portugal in their World Cup debut against DR Congo, but he was hooked at halftime in favor of Francisco Conceicao.
Bernardo Silva recently joined Real Madrid, making an immediate impact on their lineup. However, Roberto Martinez seems to believe there are better tactical options available in his midfield today to inject more raw speed and dynamism against a physical Colombian side.
Notable absences on both sides
While Portugal’s overall blueprint hasn’t shifted drastically this World Cup, a few marquee names are notably absent from the opening whistle. For instance, explosive AC Milan winger Rafael Leao is on the bench today against Colombia. Nelson Semedo joins him among the substitutes, though both are heavily expected to see minutes as the match progresses.
As for Colombia, Daniel Munoz and Luis Suarez also start on the bench. It appears to be a straightforward tactical decision to give the standout right-back a breather after two incredibly intense opening fixtures.
