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The most dramatic moment of Portugal’s Round of 16 clash with Spain arrived in the 91st minute. Spain’s Ferran Torres set up Mikel Merino for a stoppage-time winner, sending La Roja into the quarterfinals and crushing Portuguese hopes, while also ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s pursuit of a World Cup trophy.

The next most chaotic scene unfolded off the field, in the mixed zone beneath AT&T Stadium, where hundreds of reporters had gathered in the basement to secure a prime spot for post-match interviews. Manchester City’s Rodri was the first to face the media, followed by his club teammate Rúben Dias, who appeared as Portugal’s first representative. Just as journalists prepared to question the players about their heartbreaking defeat in Texas, an unusual exchange occurred.

Instead of passing the microphone to the nearest journalist, Portugal’s press officer, Francisco Trigo de Abreu, insisted that the first question come from a Portuguese journalist. “Aren’t there any Portuguese here?” he asked the room. When a Brazilian reporter attempted to speak, Abreu questioned his nationality after noticing his Brazilian accent. He then turned to Renata Pereira, a Brazilian who has served as a FIFA Media Officer for 22 years. Pereira suggested conducting a brief round of questions in Portuguese, but Abreu refused, stating it must be a Portuguese journalist. It appeared he was keen to prioritise his compatriots. During Portugal’s earlier draw with Colombia in Miami, he had ensured that Portuguese reporters were given the majority of questions directed to Roberto Martínez at the post-match press conference. At that stage, Portugal still dreamed of reaching their first-ever World Cup final, though the venue was dominated by Brazilian and Colombian media, leaving Portuguese journalists struggling to be heard.

Eventually, Abreu got his way, repeating, “Where are the Portuguese journalists?” Just as Dias prepared to leave, a Portuguese reporter was finally located, and Abreu personally handed him the microphone.

However, amid this delay, Mikel Merino appeared on a nearby stage and began speaking to the press in the adjacent mixed zone — another logistical issue that has dogged the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Dias seemed unwilling to tolerate it. Having already endured Merino’s influence over the past two months — first when the Spaniard helped Arsenal clinch the Premier League title over Manchester City, and now by knocking Portugal out of the World Cup — Dias appeared visibly frustrated. Rather than straining to hear the Portuguese journalist’s question, he simply walked off the stage. Had Abreu handed the microphone to the nearest journalist instead of insisting on a compatriot, Dias likely would have stayed to answer.

By the time three Spanish players had completed their media duties, not a single Portuguese player had yet spoken. Eventually, Nélson Semedo appeared after an hour-long wait, but he answered only three questions before being escorted away by Abreu. Cristiano Ronaldo then took the microphone, addressing the defeat and confirming that this was indeed his final World Cup appearance.

For a team widely tipped as one of the tournament favourites, Portugal’s 2026 World Cup run will go down as a major disappointment — a campaign where a squad filled with world-class talent never quite managed to find unity on the pitch. For the journalists crowded in the AT&T Stadium basement, though, the night will be remembered for Francisco Trigo de Abreu’s strange handling of the press conference.