The four-year gap between World Cups can allow players to really kick on from one to the next, and Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes is a perfect example.
Back in 2018, the then-Sporting midfielder was one of the newer additions to a squad which went into the tournament as reigning European champions. After starting the opener against Spain, though, he played just 20 further minutes as Fernando Santos' team went out in the round of 16, while an underwhelming Euro 2020 prompted criticism from compatriot Jose Mourinho.
The 2022 tournament has offered a chance for redemption, though, and Fernandes has taken it with a match-winning double against a Uruguay side who eliminated his team in Russia. Now, with a chance to improve on the 2018 result with victory over Switzerland, he has left Santos with a big call to make.
"Portugal at its highest level can beat anyone," Mourinho told talkSPORT during Euro 2020. "But we need to play with eleven players, in these two matches Bruno Fernandes was on the pitch but not playing.
"I hope he turns up against France, because he's a player with incredible potential," Mourinho added after Portugal beat Hungary and lost to Germany in their first two group games. They made it into the round of 16, but were eliminated by Belgium.
"He can pass, he can score. He can get penalties, he can score penalties, he can score free-kicks. He has a lot to give, but the reality is in these two matches he was not there."
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Mourinho isn't the only one to have been left frustrated by Fernandes at times. The midfielder played some of his best club football under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but the Norwegian had occasional issues with him, even if the good far outweighed the bad.
"Sometimes I might tear my hair out and say that there is an easier pass to the right or to the left or back but you cannot take that away from Bruno," Solskjaer said in December 2020. "You want him to be the x-factor who has players ahead of him making runs so I am very pleased with his influence this season and this year.
"He is always there supporting his team-mates as well. That is also part of the team.
"He does have players ahead of him making runs and giving him opportunities to play those passes. It is not just down to Bruno. We have to remember that he has come into a team that helps him as well. We all have a role to play and he is playing his role to the best of his ability."
Erik ten Hag's arrival as United boss has seen some changes. Former first-team regular Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo fell out of favour in the first half of the season, with Ronaldo eventually leaving the club in November, but Fernandes has started every league game for which he has been available.
The 28-year-old has two goals and one assist to his name in 13 Premier League outings, but has already surpassed that tally in Qatar. He set up two of Portugal's three goals in their victory over Ghana before bagging a brace against Uruguay - despite Ronaldo's efforts to claim one of the goals.
At Euro 2020, he started on the bench as Portugal were eliminated by Belgium. A repeat of that seems unlikely, but Santos still has a big decision to make when it comes to how he uses one of the Group H winners' most impressive players.
“Bruno Fernandes to the right – we know he cannot play there, we’ve seen examples at Manchester United – he almost [trudges] over to the right," former Man Utd star Gary Neville said on Gary Neville's World Cup Podcast after Portugal's first two group games.
“We know it’s not going to work for him on that side because he’s there, but he doesn’t play it, he doesn’t like it – he’s not got the pace for it – he’s not even good at coming into the holes because he’s a bit awkward there.
“When he went back into midfield with Bernardo Silva and [William] Carvalho was behind with [Rafael] Leao, Joao Felix and Cristiano [Ronaldo] in front I thought that looks pretty good.”
Fernandes' role isn't the only big decision facing boss Santos. The manager has also said he wasn't a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo's behaviour in the defeat against South Korea, and will have to make up his mind on the veteran before kick-off against Switzerland.
"Have I seen the images later? Yes. Did I like it? No. I really didn't like it at all. But from there, those issues are resolved at home and it's time to think about tomorrow's game, which we are all focused on.” Santos said.
Switzerland are expected to provide a real test for Portugal, having beaten them in the Nations League over the summer and taken six points from their three group games. The result could well hinge on Fernandes' performance, with plenty of pressure on the Man Utd star as he continues to make up for the disappointment of his last two major tournaments.
