Rafael Leão will miss Portugal’s Tuesday match against Hungary, to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after being exempt from training due to physical problems, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced this Sunday, October 12th.
The organization, in a note published on its official website, explained that the decision was taken by coach Roberto Martínez himself, “after considering the physical condition” of the AC Milan forward.
On Saturday, in Alvalade, Leão was launched during the second half in the 1-0 victory over Ireland, in the third round of Group F qualifying for the next World Cup.
The 26-year-old player had already missed the first two rounds, in September, in Armenia (5-0) and Hungary (3-2), due to injury, and is now a certain casualty against the Hungarians, in a match that could guarantee Portugal’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Without Leão, on Monday, the Portuguese team will do their last training session before hosting Hungary, with a session scheduled for 5pm, at Cidade do Futebol, in Oeiras, and, as usual, the first 15 minutes are open to the media.
Before training, at 4pm, coach Roberto Martínez and a player yet to be named will speak to journalists at the press conference previewing the duel with the Hungarians.
On Saturday, the ‘quinas’ team beat Ireland with a goal from Rúben Neves in stoppage time, in the 90+1 minute, the midfielder’s first ever for the national team, on the day he completed 60 caps.
Portugal-Hungary is scheduled for 7:45 pm, at the José Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, and will be refereed by Serbian Srdjan Jovanovic.
The Portuguese team leads Group F with nine points, five more than Hungary, now in second place, followed by Armenia, with three, and Ireland, which has just one.
A victory over Hungary and a draw or defeat for Armenia in Ireland guarantees Portugal its ninth appearance in the final stage of a World Cup, seventh in a row.
The group winner automatically secures a place in the tournament that will be played next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and which for the first time will have 48 teams. The second-placed team will have to compete in the qualifying play-offs.