TWO WORLD CUPS, ANOTHER GOAL | OneFootball

In Houston, against Uzbekistan, Rafael Leão made the most of the few minutes he was brought on for at the end of Portugal's match by doing what matters most - scoring. It is his second World Cup, and the second tournament in which he has scored. Now, the only thing missing is a goal at the Euros. Rafael Leão had already scored twice for Portugal during the Qatar World Cup in 2022. The AC Milan forward made his mark by scoring both goals after coming off the bench in the final stages of the match. In Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana on 24 November 2022, he came on in the 77th minute and needed just three minutes to score. Played in on the left by Bruno Fernandes, he beat the goalkeeper with a precise curling right-footed finish into the far corner, making it 3-1 at the time.

Meanwhile, in Portugal's 6-1 win over Switzerland in December 2022, Rafa came on in the 87th minute for Bruno Fernandes, scoring the sixth goal in the 92nd minute. Receiving the ball on the left, he dribbled past Granit Xhaka, cut inside, and unleashed a brilliant curling effort that beat goalkeeper Yann Sommer at the far post. He also made an immediate impact in Portugal's second match of the ongoing 2026 World Cup. The game had already been put to bed by Portugal after four goals, but Rafa's strike was still met with great celebration by head coach Martínez, who clearly understands how valuable he can be as an extra weapon in the squad. On Sunday 28 June in Miami, Portugal will have the chance to try to beat Colombia and secure first place in the group.

The new AC Milan 2026/27 Home Kit is available: buy it now!