Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening World Cup match, a result that did nothing to ease the pressure of being among the tournament’s favourites.

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating 90 minutes, struggling to make any real impact and failing to find the kind of clinical edge that’s expected of a five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The result alone would have been enough to have fans up in arms, but it’s what’s happened away from the pitch in the days since that’s really gripped the attention. Portugal’s camp in Palm Beach has been hit by a wave of off-field issues that started with the players and has now dragged in their partners.

REUTERS/Pedro Nunes

The unrest traces back to comments made by Joao Neves after the DR Congo match. According to AS, it started when the Paris Saint Germain midfielder described Ronaldo as “just another player”. The remark triggered a barrage of online criticism directed squarely at Neves, with plenty of fans unhappy at what they perceived as a dig at their captain.

Things escalated further when a fabricated comment, falsely attributed to Neves’ girlfriend, began circulating online and quickly went viral. The fake comment was a reply to a fan who’d said Neves should pass to Ronaldo more, with the supposed response reading: “tell your goat to retire he’s very selfish”.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Fiancee Gets Involved

Phil Noble via Reuters

Unaware that the comment was fake, Georgina Rodriguez, Ronaldo’s fiancee, waded into the row in defence of her partner, reacting to the supposed criticism by saying: “Wow! This generation is coming through strong!”

The intervention only added fuel to an already heated situation online, and it’s left Portugal dealing with a messy situation behind the scenes, one that Manchester City’s Ruben Dias has reportedly tried to defuse within the squad.

The fallout from the Neves controversy is still simmering, with Portugal sitting on just a single point in Group K and matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia still to come. With so much riding on those remaining fixtures, the hope inside the camp will be that the drama off the pitch doesn’t end up being prioritised over what they still need to achieve on it.

Manchester United will be looking to build upon their best season in years this campaign after the excellent work of then-interim boss Michael Carrick saw the Red Devils finish third in the Premier League.

Carrick has since been given the job on a permanent basis and is leading what supporters will hope will prove to be a big summer for United as they look to get closer to returning to past glories.

Already, a number of big names in England and across Europe have been linked with a potential switch to Old Trafford this summer.

West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes is amongst the players who have been most strongly reported as a serious target for United this summer. However, if the Red Devils can’t secure the Portuguese’s signature, a recent report has suggested that there are still viable alternatives.

Latest on Man United’s midfielder search

via Reuters

Speaking on The United Stand, GIVEMESPORT senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs reinforced that Fernandes is still United’s “leading target” this summer, but there is still interest in both Carlos Baleba and Sander Berge if they don’t sign the West Ham midfielder.

“Absolutely, Mateus Fernandes leading target [for Man Utd] at the moment,” Jacobs said. “If they don’t get him, I still think there’s legs to the Carlos Baleba situation and keep an eye on Sander Berge, who’s another player that Manchester United have discussed in recent weeks.”

Fernandes was one of the few star players in a poor West Ham side relegated from the Premier League last season, scoring three goals and providing four assists. Additionally, the 21-year-old had scored four goals and registered four assists in the campaign prior for a Southampton side that finished bottom as one of the worst ever Premier League teams.

The Hammers are in a position where they can demand a significant transfer fee, having only signed Fernandes last summer, with the Portuguese’s contract running until 2030.

United prepared to revisit pursuit of Carlos Baleba

If Fernandes doesn’t come to Old Trafford this summer, United appear ready to revisit their interest in Baleba, who the Red Devils tried to sign from Brighton and Hove Albion last summer.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that there is already an agreement in place over personal terms for a move, dating back to the 2025 interest.

The Seagulls stood firm that the Cameroonian wasn’t for sale on the back of an impressive season in the Premier League. However, the 22-year-old’s campaign last term was less impressive which could subsequently change Brighton’s stance if a club comes knocking.

Meanwhile, Berge is at the other end of his twenties at 28 and has just completed his second season at Fulham. The Norwegian has played 103 Premier League matches over the past three campaigns, having signed for the Cottagers from Burnley in 2024.

Long-term manager Marco Silva left Craven Cottage earlier this summer to join Benfica and it is expected that former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa will be taking over in the dugout.

Like Baleba, Berge is a player that has previously been linked with United and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that interest reignited this summer.

There was a time when Ansu Fati looked destined to be a standout star at a for both Barcelona and Spain.

These days that role belongs to Lamine Yamal, the teenage sensation who shone at Euro 2024, while Fati’s name barely comes up in conversations about the national team anymore.

Fati’s most recent Spain cap dates back to October 2023, and he wasn’t in contention to be picked for this summer’s World Cup. Yet the player once tipped as the successor to Lionel Messi hasn’t disappeared from the spotlight entirely.

He’s simply found a very different way of grabbing attention, one that has left plenty of supporters doing a double take. At 23, with his football career still very much alive, Fati appears to be getting started on a second career.

Ansu Fati’s Early Promise at Barcelona

Fati arrived at Barcelona at 10-years-old and quickly tore up the club’s record books, becoming their youngest ever goalscorer and the youngest player to score in the Champions League, a mark that still hasn’t been beaten. Messi himself once praised the youngster, insisting he “has everything to be a great player.”

But fitness problems repeatedly halted his rise. A serious meniscus injury in 2020 kept him out for nine months and a string of hamstring and calf issues that disrupted his development for years. He’s went on loan to the Premier League with Brighton two seasons ago, then endured a frustrating return to Barcelona under Hansi Flick, before he rediscovered some rhythm last season on loan at Monaco, scoring 12 goals in 30 outings.

He’s now closing in on a permanent move there, with the French club expected to trigger their €11 million buy option.

Ansu Fati’s Surprise Move

Away from the pitch, Fati has been busy in the music industry. He recently shared a clip of his debut single, “Sea Como Sea,” with his 2.2 million TikTok followers, and the post has already pulled in more than three million views.

The comments section soon filled up. “How do I explain to my kids that this was supposed to be the next Messi?” one fan wrote, while another joked: “Wonder Kid to Wizkid.” A third added: “Future Ballon d’Or winner now looking for Grammy.”

Fati has signed a global distribution deal with Music Brokers, part of Sony Music, recording the track in Nice with former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, and producer Gambinoalaprod. His sound mixes Afrobeats Latino, reggaeton and Amapiano, and on Spotify.