Manchester City star Bernardo Silva offered a direct assessment of Portugal’s defeat in Dublin, as the national team missed the chance to secure early qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to SportTV, in comments relayed by [**ZeroZero**](https://www.zerozero.pt/noticias/bernardo-silva-o-mais-dificil-no-futebol-e-atacar-contra-equipas-assim-/975766), he said Portugal struggled to break down Ireland’s deep block in the 2-0 loss at the Aviva Stadium.
Bernardo explained that Portugal faced a familiar scenario. Ireland defended with five at the back and stayed very deep. He said: _“The hardest thing in football is attacking against teams like this.”_
The issue is well known at Manchester City, who often face low blocks in domestic matches. He also noted that Ireland played with more aggression at home and caused problems with their physical approach.
The first goal came from a set piece, and Bernardo admitted that the moment changed the team’s rhythm. He said: _“The first goal came from the first set piece, and that took away some of our calm. We rushed things, but it happens in football. We made too many mistakes, but qualification is still in our hands.”_
He added that Portugal lacked presence in key areas. He said: _“You need patience and clear concepts, and we didn’t manage that today. We never put players in finishing zones. Their defenders stayed comfortable, with numbers behind the ball, and we never created real discomfort.”_
The match also ended with tension, [**as we covered earlier**](https://sportwitness.co.uk/manchester-city-duo-clash-with-supporters-local-media-explain-incident-escalating/). Bernardo exchanged words with a small group of travelling supporters, in an incident caught on camera and widely discussed in Portugal.
Portugal still control their path in Group F, but the defeat raises the stakes for the next fixtures. Bernardo now returns to Manchester City with the focus shifting back to the club schedule.