Vitinha: "We are candidates" as Portugal prepare for World Cup

Vitinha: "We are candidates"

Vitinha says Portugal are World Cup contenders, but insists the team must prove it where it matters. "We are candidates," the PSG midfielder said on Saturday, adding that Portugal must "demonstrate our quality on the pitch" (1) (3).

The squad is united and fully fit. Diogo Jota and Cristiano Ronaldo are among those ready, with the team coming off a closed training camp in Oeiras under Roberto Martinez (1).

Martinez: "Genuine candidates to go very far"

Roberto Martinez has echoed Vitinha's confidence. "We're genuine candidates to go very far this summer," the head coach said. "We have the quality, the recent tournament experience, and now the proof that we can win" (6).

Former coach Paulo Bento also backs the selection, calling Portugal "in the group of candidates", though he warns things do not always go as desired.

Portugal win Toulon Tournament after 23 years

Portugal's U23 side beat Tunisia to win the Toulon Tournament, the federation's first title at the prestigious youth competition in 23 years (4) (5). A significant moment for the pipeline feeding into Martinez's senior setup.

Palhinha return to Sporting CP close

Bayern Munich have lowered their asking price for João Palhinha, and a deal with Sporting CP is now close. Tottenham had also shown interest but Sporting appear in pole position to bring the defensive midfielder back to Lisbon (2).

Fan-reaktioner

Portuguese fans are in a nostalgic and confident mood, with talk online drifting to Silvestre Varela's legendary 94th-minute equaliser against the USA at the 2014 World Cup, still the second-latest group-stage equaliser in tournament history. The timing feels right: as this squad declares itself contenders, supporters are reliving the moments that shaped Portugal's World Cup identity. See the discussion on r/soccer