Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is still coming to terms with Portugal's early exit from the World Cup.
Among the pre-tournament favourites, Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain on Monday in the round of 16 to exit the competition. "Sad, frustrated, and disappointed," Fernandes, 31, wrote on Instagram.
Fernandes had gone into the tournament inspired by his terrific season with Man United.
The Portugal midfielder was named Premier League player of the season and broke the record for most assists (21) in a season.
Portugal, winners of the 2025 UEFA Nations League, had reason to be optimistic.
Captained by the all-time international goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal also had four Paris Saint-Germain players -- Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Vitinha and Gonçalo Ramos -- that retained the Ligue 1 and Champions League title this season.
"This group of players raised my expectations high, not only because of their quality, but also because of the incredible team we've built over the years," Fernandes wrote.
Portugal won only two -- against Uzbekistan and Croatia -- of their five games in the tournament.
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Despite the huge disappointment, Fernandes thanked his teammates, staff and fans for their support over Portugal's World Cup run.
"Thank you to all the players, the coaching staff, and everyone who supported us and helped us every day during the World Cup," he wrote.
"To all the Portuguese people, a big thank you for your support and belief."
