Portugal made a pleasant return to football post the World Cup disappointment, picking up a narrow 1-0 win over Wales in their UEFA Nations League opener on Thursday.
Al-Nassr forward Joao Felix was on target for the Euro 2016 champions in the 22nd minute, rounding off a wonderful teammove with a long-range strike from outside the box.
Cristiano Ronaldo also had the ball in the back of the net before the break, but it was ruled out after he was found to be in an offside position in the build-up.
The Selecao kept pushing for a second goal in the second stanza but to no avail, although three points in the bag mean it was still a positive start for Portugal under new manager Jorge Jesus.
Jesus had recalled Fabio Silva into the squad after the forward's blistering start to the 2026-27 season, sparking revival of his international fortunes that appeared frozen lately.
Silva dropped from matchday squad
While the BVB fans were anxiously waiting to see their 24-year-old attacking dynamite in action with Portugal for just the second time (he made his international debut with them in November 2024), turns out he was dropped from the matchday squad altogether.
The news came as a real surprise, and with an element of disappointment too, as we didn't get to witness the in-form Silva even on the bench. However, this could just be a temporary ostracision and Silva could return for their next three games.
Where could Silva play for Portugal?
At Borussia Dortmund, Silva has thrived playing off striker Serhou Guirassy as a false nine or a roaming striker, linking plays and moving into different attacking positions to stretch defenses or create chances.
He isn't a natural winger or a poacher; Silva's qualities lie in pulling defenders towards him to create space for the striker, or attacking the box when the wide players have possession.
With Jesus also employing a 4-4-2 formation, the BVB star could play a similar role to his profile with Dortmund. The only difference is, with Portugal, we could see him coming off the bench.
Given his lack of experience on the international stage as well as fierce competition in Portugal's vanguard, Silva will have to work really hard to nail down a starting berth.
But he'd still be a valuable attacking option off the bench as a second striker - playing off either Ronaldo or Goncalo Ramos - and giving them a new dimension offensively.
Portugal next play Norway on Sunday, 27 September.
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