Rúben Dias walks out of Portugal press conference as Merino speaks nearby at World Cup

Rúben Dias walked off the stage mid-interview in the mixed zone at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Sunday, after a chaotic sequence involving Portugal’s press officer and the proximity of Spain goalscorer Mikel Merino brought his post-match press conference to an abrupt end.

Spain had just eliminated Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16, with Merino converting a Ferran Torres assist in the 91st minute to send La Roja into the quarterfinals and end Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup campaign. The drama, it turned out, was not confined to the pitch.

In the basement of AT&T Stadium, Manchester City teammates Rodri and Dias arrived in the mixed zone in quick succession — Rodri representing Spain, Dias the first Portugal player to face the media. Before a single question could be asked, Portugal’s press officer Francisco Trigo de Abreu intervened, demanding that a Portuguese journalist be found to ask the opening question.

When a Brazilian journalist attempted to step forward, Abreu questioned his nationality after detecting his accent. He then turned to Renata Pereira, a Brazilian FIFA Media Officer with 22 years of experience, who suggested a quick round of questions in Portuguese. Abreu refused — it had to be a Portuguese journalist specifically.

The search took long enough that Merino had arrived at an adjacent stage and begun speaking to the journalists gathered nearby. With two microphones now competing in the same space, Dias — already processing a painful elimination — decided he had heard enough. He stepped off the stage and left without taking a single question.

The irony was not lost on those present. Had Abreu handed the microphone to the nearest available journalist at the outset, Dias would have completed his interview before Merino ever appeared. Instead, three Spain players had spoken to the press before a single Portuguese player had managed to do so.

It was not the first time Abreu had prioritised Portuguese journalists in post-match settings. After Portugal’s draw with Colombia in Miami earlier in the tournament, he had similarly ensured Portuguese reporters were given precedence at Roberto Martínez’s press conference — a decision that attracted less attention at the time, with Portugal still harbouring hopes of reaching the final.

The incident adds to a pattern of logistical frustrations that have surfaced throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the mixed zone setup at several venues drawing criticism for allowing competing press conferences to bleed into one another.