“Disrespect”: Ricardo Horta won’t go to the World Cup because “there are others ahead”

President of Braga devastates Martínez, who tried to explain: “Pedro Gonçalves, Rodrigo Mora and Ricardo Horta don’t enter the national team because they have João Félix, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Trincão”.

The Portuguese coach received the long-awaited call-up for the 2026 World Cup this Tuesday and, as usual, he did not please everyone.

Among surprises with the choice of Tomás Araújo in place of António Silva, Samu Costa in place of Palhinha and with the departure of four goalkeepers to America, one of the most notable decisions was to leave Ricardo Horta out.

The SC Braga winger had another high-performance season with the Minho team: 53 games, 21 goals and 11 assists. Even so, it was not enough to be among the 26 chosen for the final phase of the World Championship.

Roberto Martínez recognized Ricardo Horta’s “incredible season”, but reinforced that “there are other players ahead”.

“Pedro Gonçalves, Rodrigo Mora and Ricardo Horta do not enter the team because they have João Félix, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Trincãowho are being important and already have a role in the national team. That’s all,” said Martínez.

The president of SC Braga, Antonio Salvadorcouldn’t keep quiet. Minutes after the announcement of those selected, it was launched on the social network X.

“As President of SC Braga, I cannot hide my disappointment at the absence of Ricardo Horta”, pointed out Salvador, questioning “the management carried out, the total mismatch between what is said and what is done and the treatment given to a player who, at 31 years old and with the impressive career he has, could never be subjected to tests and experiments.”

“I wonder, above all, about Ricardo Horta’s call for a tour to Mexico and the United States, at the peak of the season and with such important fronts open for SC Braga and Portuguese football”, highlighted the president of the Minho team, who speculated on two possible scenarios for such a call.

“Either the coach had doubts, which would be confusing and implausible given so much and repeated praise for the player’s footballing, human and behavioral qualities; or the list of 26 was already very solid, which even makes the call offensiveand it cannot be ignored that this call fueled, even given the existing history, the expectation of a call that has now been frustrated again”, pointed out Salvador.

“After having said, in March, that his most difficult decision as a coach was to exclude Ricardo Horta from the 2024 European Championship, the management made is even more incomprehensible and, in my opinion, disrespectful towards the player and towards the man”, concluded the Braga president.

Former FC Porto and Sporting player João Moutinho also took to his social networks to publish a photo of himself with Ricardo Horta, a few minutes after the call-up was announced. “You’re big,” the midfielder.