Meteoric Rise
João Neves is a 21-year-old midfield prodigy who has already become one of the best players in the world at his position. His unique combination of skills could help Portugal to a first-ever World Cup title this summer.
Since joining Paris Saint-Germain from Benfica two seasons ago, Neves has quickly become a mainstay in Europe’s best team, serving as the perfect complement to his countryman Vitinha as a midfield dynamo who can win duels all over the field despite his smaller stature. Neves is more than just a ball-winner, too. His passing and finishing set him apart with an eye for acrobatic goals for club and country.
Club vs. Country
PSG and Portugal play very similar formations. Roberto Martínez wants to achieve similar things as a possession-based team as Luis Enrique does in Paris, so Neves’s role for the national team is not too dissimilar from his role at the club level. His primary responsibility in possession is to help Vitinha progress the ball from back to front by moving constantly into open spaces to receive the ball and keep the engine running. His role also requires him to be a threat further forward, making late runs from deep and looking to get into scoring positions in the box.
Out of possession, Neves is one of the main triggers of PSG’s relentless high press, running with speed and purpose to try and steal the ball as close to the opponent’s box as possible to create quick, dangerous attacks. Portugal don’t press as high or as intensely as PSG, but Neves’s ability to win the ball anywhere on the field makes him invaluable defensively.
Portugal at the World Cup
This will be Neves’s first taste of the biggest stage in the sport, but he’s already a key piece of his national team ahead of his very first World Cup. There are bigger and more accomplished stars around him who will be tasked with bigger responsibilities, such as his club teammates Vitinha and Nuno Mendes and the two superstars up front in Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.
But Neves is already so good, and with a skillset so unique and valuable, that he could easily become one the breakout stars of the tournament and have a huge impact on Portugal’s ability to make a deep run and finally realize their World Cup dream in Ronaldo’s final appearance.
- Portugal vs DR Congo — June 17 — 1 p.m. ET from Houston (NRG Stadium)
- Portugal vs Uzbekistan — June 23 — 1 p.m. ET from Houston (NRG Stadium)
- Portugal vs Colombia — June 27 — 7:30 p.m. ET from Miami (Hard Rock Stadium)
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