Bernardo Silva has been dropped from Portugal’s starting lineup for the key World Cup group phase clash against Colombia. Bernardo Silva has been one of Portugal’s undisputed pillars in recent years, a status mirrored by his immense success at Manchester City, where he captained the squad during the 2025-26 season. With the top spot in the group completely up for grabs in this final first-round clash against Colombia, questions are rising over why he was excluded from the starting lineup.
Silva will begin the match on the bench due to a specific tactical decision by head coach Roberto Martinez. Aiming for a more direct attacking approach, the Spanish manager has opted for the pure pace of Pedro Neto and Joao Felix to stretch Colombia’s defense, prompting the decision to leave the City playmaker out of the opening eleven.
This marks the second consecutive time Bernardo Silva has been named to the substitute bench during this 2026 World Cup campaign. After starting in the disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the tournament opener, the midfielder was dropped from the lineup against Uzbekistan, logging just 14 minutes of action as a second-half sub.
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