Why was Nuno Mendes subbed off in second half during Portugal vs Spain FIFA World Cup 2026 match?
Portugal left-back Nuno Mendes was subbed off during the second half of his side’s match against Spain in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Dallas on Monday.
The obvious reason for taking off Mendes was his injury. The attacking defender pulled up in the 54th minute and had to be replaced with Nelson Semedo.
An official confirmation on the extent of his injury is awaited.
Mendes had been the most threatening creator for Portugal through the first half, keeping Spain right-back Pedro Porro on his toes. His shot in the 41st minute struck the crossbar and that was the closest Portugal got to scoring through the game.
He contributed just the same in defence, keeping a check on Lamine Yamal and Porro, and stopping them in their runs into the final third.
Published on Jul 07, 2026
