If Roberto Martinez thought the grumbling about Cristiano Ronaldo would fade away, he missed how much Colombia loves a good scrap. They brought pure, messy energy. It was beautiful and rough.
They didn't grab the win, but Colombia bossed Portugal around. They walked away with the top spot in Group K. They looked better. They played better.
It could have been a loss for Portugal. A late goal was scrubbed off by VAR because Davinson Sanchez was offside by the length of a toe. A tiny margin.
Martinez dodged a bullet there. Now he has to deal with Croatia next. Then maybe Spain. It’s a hard road ahead. He needs to fix his leaky back line and figure out why his star striker does nothing against decent teams.
Colombia looks set. They are a bit old, but they are tough. They don't quit. Next up is Ghana for them.
"Well, he isn’t. He really isn’t. His mission here was to show he still had capacity to shape games against better defences and he failed dismally."
He did not do much. He barely moved. The Colombian defenders had him in their pocket all night long.
Service was poor. Vitinha was quiet until the break. Ruben Neves struggled in the middle. Nothing worked. Bruno Fernandes was missing too.
"Ronaldo can share some blame there – he was hardly a moving target for them – but nor did he use his opportunities well." He tried an overhead kick. It went nowhere. He took a free-kick that hit the keeper. He kept running offside when he should have stayed level.
He didn't defend either. He just walked around. The Colombian center-backs had an easy night.
Martinez kept him on the pitch for the full 90 minutes. It makes no sense. Why keep doing it?
People keep saying Ronaldo is bad for the team. But there are other holes. The full-backs are leaving huge gaps.
Colombia saw this. They exploited the space behind the Portuguese defenders over and over. It was a simple plan. It worked perfectly.
James Rodriguez and Luis Diaz dragged the defenders out of position. Then they launched long balls for Jhon Cordobo. It was constant pressure. Martinez had no answer.
Joao Cancelo was awful. He got pulled at the half. Nuno Mendes looked lost on the other side. He got shredded. It was a disaster.
Colombia should have won. They weren't pretty, but they were mean. They were stronger. They didn't stop running. And remember, most of these guys are over 30. The heat was brutal.
They had way more shots than Portugal. 24 to 13. The scoreline lied. It wasn't close.
"Best known in the UK for an underwhelming spell at Tottenham, he dominated Ronaldo, and when he wasn’t crunching him in the tackle, he was bombing the supply line from Fernandes."
It was a great shift. He almost won the game. That late disallowed goal was a shame.
Everyone wanted to see this match. It sold out fast. The stadium was full of yellow shirts. The Portugal fans were drowned out.
It felt like a home game for Colombia. Lots of wigs in the stands. A fun atmosphere.
Carlos Valderrama watched from the crowd. He liked what he saw. Portugal has a lot to worry about now.
This result highlights a growing tactical disconnect within the Portuguese squad. Martinez is clearly struggling to balance his reliance on past stars with the need for a modern, high-pressing system. If they don't tighten up their defensive structure before the next round, their tournament could end abruptly against more disciplined European opposition.
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