Roberto Martinez underlines Vitinha’s key role for Portugal

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·29 de março de 2026

Roberto Martinez underlines Vitinha’s key role for Portugal

After Sunday, March 29’s match against Mexico, Roberto Martinez once again highlighted the importance Vitinha has taken on, the 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. In his press conference, Portugal’s head coach stressed his importance in defending, organizing, and directing attacking moves, proof of a status that has become central during key moments for his national team.

“He is an excellent player who knows how to defend, organize the game, and direct the attack where we want it to go. It was important to see whether Portugal could control the match and reach the final 30 meters without him [in the first half]. I’m very happy about that, but Vitinha is a key player for Portugal in those moments.”

The most striking thing about Roberto Martinez’s comments may not be the praise itself, but what it reveals about the status Vitinha has earned. The Portugal coach indirectly explains that his team can be tested without him, but that it regains a different level of control when the PSG midfielder is there to secure, speed up, and direct play in decisive areas.

Vídeos OneFootball

This is no longer just the profile of a good box-to-box midfielder or an elegant playmaker. It is that of a player who has become a collective reference point, almost a measuring tool for Portugal’s level of control. For Paris Saint-Germain as well, this reading reinforces an obvious truth: Vitinha is no longer just a cog at the very highest level — he is now one of its centers of gravity.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.