Nuno Mendes picked a pretty good moment to find the net on the world’s biggest stage. The Paris Saint-Germain left-back rifled in a free-kick against Uzbekistan on June 23, putting Portugal up 2-0 in their Group K clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It was Mendes’ first-ever World Cup goal, and only the second time he’s scored for Portugal at senior level.

Ronaldo’s dummy, Mendes’ finish

The goal itself had a dash of theater to it. Cristiano Ronaldo, standing over the free-kick in classic fashion, played an unselfish dummy that allowed Mendes to step up and do the rest.

A defender who keeps showing up in big moments

His only previous senior goal for Portugal came on June 8, 2025, when he struck a crucial equalizer against Spain in the UEFA Nations League final. That’s a player who doesn’t score often, but somehow finds the net when the stakes are at their highest.

With at least 45 senior caps to his name heading into the tournament, Mendes has been a fixture in Portugal’s setup for several years now. He was part of the squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Portugal reached the quarterfinals before falling to Morocco in one of the tournament’s defining upsets.

His inclusion in Portugal’s 26-man squad for the 2026 tournament, announced on May 19, was never in doubt. At PSG, he’s established himself as one of the best left-backs in European football, combining pace, positional awareness, and an increasingly dangerous final ball.