With João Neves could have been different, Portugal's plans with the young star for the future after the elimination

While Portugal has been eliminated from the EUROS this summer, many Portuguese fans are hoping to know the future of certain players on the national team, like the senior players such as Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo. The next major international tournament will be the World Cup, which is in two years, and many wonder if the youth will be given more of an opportunity. A player that many Portuguese players would like to see given more of a chance is João Neves. He only started in one match in the tournament for Portugal, which was the 2-0 loss against Georgia in the group stage. Portugal's manager, Roberto Martinez, has praised Neves in the past and thinks that he is potentially a great leader for the national team in the future. A couple of months ago, Martinez said, "João Neves reached the national team at 19 and showed a personality and maturity that surprised me a lot. I've never seen a situation like Neves in my career. In two days, he gained the respect of the entire Portugal locker room.”

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Many Portuguese fans agree that Neves could have been vital for Portugal in this tournament. Neves is expected to improve, and he could get a big summer move in a couple of weeks to either PSG or Manchester United. Cristiano Ronaldo was also very talkative with Neves about tactics and advice during the EUROS, which makes fans believe that the young midfielder will be a leader in the future.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 seems like the perfect opportunity for Neves to be given minutes. He played a total of around 80 minutes at the EUROS in Germany. He played 75 minutes against Georgia and was subbed on in the 3-0 win against Turkiye in the 88th minute.

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What is next for Portugal?

Portugal will be playing in Group 1 of the UEFA Nations League A. Thier group includes Croatia, Poland and Scotland. Their first match will be against Croatia on September 5th. Portugal will play against Croatia, Scotland, and Poland two times to secure a spot in the playoffs for the Nations League next year.