Who should play at the base of midfield for Portugal at World Cup 2026? | OneFootball

Rhythm and steel: Portugal’s midfield anchor problem

In the shadow of football’s flamboyant forwards and stoic defenders, lies a most pivotal and perhaps most underappreciated machinist: the defensive midfielder, the No.6. The fulcrum, the team’s conscience. Either its silent guardian – as in the case of William Carvalho – or its tempestuous destroyer, a personality so uncommon in the famous red and green that only one name in recent history springs to mind – João Palhinha.

They are the yin to the attack’s yang, the anchor allowing the ship safe passage through dangerous waters.

The 2026 Seleção overflows with some of the world’s most dazzling and creative players, yet the holding midfield throne remains conspicuously unsettled. Not necessarily a problem of scarcity, but a midfield identity crisis.

How to follow the Velvet Tank?

Faithful readers will recall William Carvalho anchored Portugal’s midfield throughout the Fernando Santos era at the expense of Danilo Pereira’s defensively robust, physically demanding style. Rugged build aside, William employed his brain far more than his brawn. His influence was more calming though his nickname – the Velvet Tank – belied the sporadic rumble past or over would-be defenders.

A key figure in the squad which conquered Europe in 2016, his abdication was arguably never addressed effectively. At least, not enough to optimise the play of Portugal’s stable of creative geniuses. Much like some bygone sculptor, painter, or author, William’s body of work, vastly under-appreciated in his playing years, has been felt much more painfully in recent times watching the present candidates’ vain attempts to steady Portugal’s formation.

It is today both a fascinating and frustrating conundrum for the Seleção, revolving around two players with very different temperaments: Rúben Neves and João Palhinha.

In the latter, we observe a player who is, by some metrics, the best out-and-out ball-winner in European football. He led the English Premier League in tackles for Fulham, earning a high-profile transfer to German giants, Bayern Munich. Now at Tottenham, Palhinha’s reputation as his squad’s blunt-force object remains well-intact. Palhinha is Portugal’s only true destroyer in the purest sense of the word, a relentless force breaking opposition attacks with obsessive zeal.

A typically robust challenge by Palhinha on Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye. The Portuguese midfielder has thrived in the rough and tumble of English football. (Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Yet, for all his defensive charm, neither Fernando Santos nor Roberto Martínez rate him.

It may be the modern game requires different match-play value from its No.6s. It is no longer enough to simply be a destroyer perhaps. The modern holder must also be a deep-lying playmaker capable of launching attacks and, more significantly, act as the squad’s metronome.

Rúben Neves, then, with his exquisite passing range, offers a completely different profile. Capable of switching play with a single pass to unlock a packed defence, Neves’ football brain has made him a more prized asset to the one whose opinion matters most – Martínez.

Portugal’s obvious problem is that neither player offers the complete package. Palhinha is the supreme tackler but lacks the creative passing and attacking potential of Neves. Neves’ distribution is more effective, but he possesses a fraction of Palhinha’s defensive tenacity.

In theory, Martínez could opt for the defensive power of Palhinha, the creative spark of Neves, or split the difference by choosing the versatility of someone like João Neves – a player arguably more potent in the attacking phase of the game. In practice, Martínez’s near-automatic preference of Rúben seems arbitrary, leaving many supporters frustrated that Palhinha’s talent goes begging.

Rúben scored a great header against Ireland in qualification but Palhinha’s underrated play for Tottenham needs more love. He again leads the Premier League in tackles but has added a respectable 8 G/A in 30 matches this season.

Rúben Neves scores a late winner against the Republic of Ireland in Lisbon in October 2025 (Photo: Arlindo Homem ©)

The gulf between Neves and Palhinha epitomizes a true clash of attitude. There is a volatility in Palhinha, high-risk-high-reward that Martínez’s finds unsavoury. Yet every World Cup campaign requires ultimate commitment… double-down and bet the farm, or play it safe?

Risk will never be as attractive as security. And Neves does provide valid assurances, having successfully steered Portugal beyond Spain in the 2025 Nations League final and getting all the best reps throughout the Seleção’s WC qualification campaign. Palhinha mostly sat on the bench. No one can honestly say what he would have or would not have done. He didn’t play enough.

This debate expands into the philosophical – which expression of emotions and analytical concepts Martínez will apply to grapple with the tough problems Portugal encounter at the World Cup? Will he build a steel mill or an art gallery? It is after all a clash of civilizations, each promoting the supremacy of their national strengths, presuppositions, beliefs, and ambitions over 90 minutes on a football pitch against some adversarial notion. Admittedly not all metaphysics but still requiring scholarly and hopefully enlightened reasoning from some of football’s great thinkers – and Roberto Martínez. Apologies, I couldn’t resist!

While Palhinha’s ball-recovering powers and protection of the defence routinely claim favourite status amongst supporters, Martínez’s favouring of Neves suggests he wants a particular style or speed of transition from defence into attack that Palhinha cannot provide. Even so, Neves’ lack of stature, pace, aggression, and positional intelligence invite opposition forays and remain concerning given Portugal’s centre-back irregularity, a topic for another day.

João Neves in action for Portugal against Armenia at the Estadio do Dragão in November 2025, a match in which he scored a hat-trick. (Photo: Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

Contrary to what others might suggest, the structural integrity of Martínez’s unit will depend less on Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes than it will on the personality of whomever he fields immediately behind them. The squad has lacked a rugged edge for years, arguably going back to the injuries which destroyed Renato Sanches’ budding career. Otávio then gradually lost favour, and the entire rest of the squad leans heavily on a more artistically expressive version of the game – in keeping with much of the Seleção’s creative and technical history.

Palhinha is one of the few pitbulls ever produced by a nation having more in common with Brazil than the rest of continental Europe. But some would reply that Palhinha’s 8 yellow cards in 37 international caps – compared to Rúben’s 7 in 63 – represent too high a price.

Ultimately, the midfield anchor problem is about finding balance where none exists. It is a role for a player who can embody both the destructive and creative aspects demanded. Yet the debate is not simply about which player is best and how they will perform. It is about who Portugal want to be. Could there be a marrying of Palhinha’s vivacious, steel-willed energy and the aesthetically pleasing, cultured grace of, say, Vitinha? Or will Neves’ powers of distribution remain the glue holding all things together, the chisel inscribing Portugal’s identity?

The defensive midfield throne awaits quietly the rightful heir. There is still time to decide. The personality of whomever dons the burden and honour of No.6, in this author’s opinion, will prove a critical World Cup outcome discriminator for Portugal.