Why Rafael Leão was benched for Portugal vs Uzbekistan — and what it meant

Rafael Leão did not start for Portugal in the nation’s World Cup Group K match against Uzbekistan on 23 June 2026 in Houston — a selection described by sources as a deliberate tactical choice by manager Roberto Martinez. The absence of AC Milan’s 27-year-old winger from the expected XI arrived with Portugal under immediate pressure after a 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opening fixture; Martinez instead picked an attacking profile he believed would offer more directness and balance. That decision mattered because Portugal needed a positive response to protect its qualification prospects and to quiet growing scrutiny of the team’s attacking shape.

Why it mattered

Portugal entered the Uzbekistan match looking to recover momentum after controlling large portions of the DR Congo game but failing to convert dominance into a win. The team’s inability to turn possession into goals and Cristiano Ronaldo’s subdued impact in the opening match increased pressure on Martinez to alter his attacking setup. With Uzbekistan having lost 3-1 to Colombia in their World Cup debut, Portugal faced an important chance to reassert itself in Group K; starting personnel and style of attack were therefore under the microscope.

Why Rafael Leão was left out of the expected XI

According to the supplied coverage, Leão’s omission was not down to injury but to a tactical decision. Martinez prioritised a different attacking profile — seeking more directness, movement and tactical discipline in the final third — after Portugal’s struggles to finish against DR Congo. The manager assembled alternatives from a stacked selection of attacking options, including Pedro Neto, Francisco Conceição, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes, and judged other profiles better suited to breaking down a team expected to defend deeply and counter.

How the match unfolded and immediate context

Portugal responded emphatically on the night: match data supplied with this report confirms the Selecao won 5-0 against Uzbekistan in Houston. That scoreline provided a strong on-field answer to the tactical questions raised after the opening draw, while also increasing the scrutiny on whether Martinez’s starting choices — and the decision to omit Leão from the expected XI — paid off in the short term.

• Rafael Leão (AC Milan, 27) was not in the expected starting XI for Portugal versus Uzbekistan; the omission was framed as a tactical decision rather than injury.
• Roberto Martinez selected a different attacking profile to add directness, movement and tactical balance after Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo.
• Portugal needed a positive result to steady its World Cup Group K campaign and responded by beating Uzbekistan 5-0 (match data).
• Cristiano Ronaldo had played the full opening match against DR Congo but did not make the expected impact, increasing calls for tactical adjustments.
• Uzbekistan had lost 3-1 to Colombia in their first World Cup game, making the Portugal fixture a key opportunity for both sides.

Managerial and squad implications

Martinez’s decision to prefer a different set of attackers over Leão reflects the tension every manager faces between selecting the nation’s most talented individuals and choosing the combination he believes will function best as a unit. The result — a 5-0 win — suggests the selected approach worked in this specific match, but the longer-term questions remain: how often Martinez will favour tactical balance over individual flair, and in which situations Leão will be reintroduced to the starting XI as Portugal navigates the rest of the group-stage fixtures.

What happens next

Portugal’s emphatic victory against Uzbekistan reduces immediate pressure on Martinez and provides a clearer short-term path in Group K. The selection debate around Leão will continue to be relevant ahead of the remaining group fixtures: Martinez must now decide whether to prioritise consistency in the winning setup or to rotate to reintegrate talent like Leão, depending on the opponent and tactical requirements. With the group-stage schedule still to play out, each selection will carry consequences for qualification and squad harmony.