Portugal beats Chile 2-1 in first World Cup warm-up, Leão sent off in heated friendly

Portugal began their final preparations for the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Chile at the Jamor stadium on Saturday evening. The match, the first of two scheduled friendlies before the team departs for the Americas, was a test of temperament as much as tactics, boiling over just before half-time when both Rafael Leão and Iván Román were shown straight red cards after a shoving match.

First-half dominance without reward

Portugal controlled the opening period and created several clear chances. Rúben Dias forced a spectacular save from Chilean goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux with a close-range header in the 4th minute, following an excellent cross from João Cancelo. Five minutes later, Rafael Leão struck the post after a clever backheel pass from Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo himself was denied by Vigouroux in the 18th minute and had a goal disallowed for offside in the 35th, confirmed by VAR.

Flashpoint before the interval

The match turned ugly in stoppage time at the end of the first half. A confrontation involving multiple players escalated into a physical exchange between Portugal's Rafael Leão and Chile's Iván Román. Italian referee Luca Zufferli issued direct red cards to both, leaving each team with ten men for the second half. The incident marked the first time in a decade that a Portuguese player had been sent off with a straight red in a friendly match.

Second-half breakthrough

Manager Roberto Martínez made six substitutions at the break, introducing Rui Silva, Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, Rúben Neves, Gonçalo Guedes, and Pedro Neto. The changes paid off in the 58th minute when a precise pass from Rúben Neves found Gonçalo Guedes, who broke through the Chilean defense and slotted the ball past Vigouroux for his first international goal in four years.

Na sequência de um belo passe de Rúben Neves, Gonçalo Guedes acabou por desbloquear o marcador aos 58 minutos.

Bruno Fernandes, who played the full 90 minutes alongside João Cancelo, doubled the lead in the 74th minute with a powerful strike from outside the area. The Manchester United midfielder, recently named the Premier League's best player for the 2025-26 season, was the standout performer, driving Portugal's attack throughout the evening.

Late consolation and next steps

Lucas Cepeda pulled a goal back for Chile in stoppage time (90+2'), curling a placed shot past the Portuguese goalkeeper, but it was too little to alter the outcome. Portugal will play their second and final warm-up match against Nigeria on 10 June in Leiria. The squad then travels on 12 June to Palm Beach, Miami, Florida, where they will set up their training camp ahead of the tournament.

World Cup path

Portugal competes in Group K and opens their World Cup campaign on 17 June against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston (12:00 local time, 18:00 Lisbon). They face debutants Uzbekistan on 23 June, also in Houston, before closing the group stage against Colombia in Miami on 27 June. The 2026 World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams, runs from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.