Portugal Calls Up João Carvalho as José Sá Misses Dublin Qualifier

Portugal’s national team, already on the verge of sealing direct qualification for the next World Cup, will travel to Dublin without one of its senior goalkeepers. José Sá has been allowed to remain in Portugal following a family bereavement, a development that shifts Roberto Martínez’s plans only slightly but resonates deeply with supporters who expected the Wolverhampton Wanderers player to be on the plane.

Last-minute change in Martínez’s plans

The abrupt withdrawal came a few hours after the final training session at Cidade do Futebol, where the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed that the 32-year-old was excused for “personal reasons.” Sources close to the camp later clarified that the cause was the death of his grandfather, a loss the squad acknowledged privately before the afternoon walkthrough. While the staff had prepared for the possibility of a late injury, they instead faced an emotional curveball that required fast logistical adaptation.

A personal tragedy behind the decision

Family over football has long been an unwritten code inside the Seleção camp. The head coach, himself a father of two, is said to have told the dressing room that “nobody should miss a final goodbye.” Sá’s absence, therefore, is framed not as a tactical issue but as a reminder of the human stories that travel with every call-up. For a player who has spent the last decade oscillating between understudy and starter, the timing is painful: he had hoped to press his case for minutes against Ireland after a string of strong Premier League displays.

Door opens for João Carvalho

Into the breach steps João Carvalho, a 21-year-old from SC Braga’s reserve side who until yesterday was training with the Under-21s. His phone rang minutes before dinner, and by sunrise he was carrying his gloves onto the charter flight. At club level the young keeper has logged 10 Liga 3 appearances, five clean sheets, and only nine goals conceded this term—numbers that impressed Martínez’s analytics team. Though unlikely to start ahead of Diogo Costa, the call-up effectively hands Carvalho a priceless week of first-team immersion.

Minimal impact on the starter hierarchy

From a competitive standpoint, Sá’s short absence does not alter the established pecking order. Diogo Costa remains the undisputed No. 1 after cementing his status over the past two years, while veteran Rui Patrício offers seasoned cover. Sá’s role has been to push both men in training and stay ready when rotation opportunities arise. By Friday he is expected to rejoin the squad in Porto, meaning the balance for the subsequent clash against Armenia at Estádio do Dragão should remain intact.

What it means for the Dublin qualifier

The showdown at the Aviva Stadium still carries weight: victory would guarantee Portugal the top spot in Group F and an automatic ticket to North America 2026. Ireland, already out of contention, will look to spoil the party in front of a capacity crowd set to include several thousand travelling Portuguese. With Costa projected to start, the coaching staff’s main concern is squad freshness after a congested autumn calendar rather than the goalkeeping reshuffle.

Looking ahead from a Portuguese perspective

For fans watching from Lisbon to Funchal, the dominant storyline will be less about who guards the net on Thursday and more about whether the Seleção can maintain its impeccable qualifying run. Yet the human element lingers: solidarity with Sá, curiosity about Carvalho’s first senior camp, and confidence that a squad boasting Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes can finish the job. Should the result go according to plan, attention will quickly pivot to Porto, where Sá’s anticipated return would complete a narrative that began with personal sorrow and—football permitting—could end in collective celebration.