Matheus Nunes, one of the rising stars of Portuguese football, is becoming a vital force not only for Manchester City but also for the national team as the 2026 World Cup approaches. His evolution from midfielder to right-back is not just remarkable; it is a story of reinvention that could shape Roberto Martínez’s selections for the major tournament.
“Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world.” This powerful statement from Pep Guardiola following a resounding 5-0 victory for City over Sporting at Alvalade captured everyone’s attention. The Catalan coach, always perceptive, recognized the potential of the Portuguese international. However, Nunes’s early months in Manchester were filled with challenges. After a brilliant season at Wolverhampton, he arrived at City with high expectations but quickly found himself struggling to establish himself as a midfielder in a rigorous defensive system.
The transformation of Nunes into a right-back began to take shape during the 2023/24 season. After an uncertain start, Guardiola decided to give him the opportunity to shine in a position that has been problematic for the team. Despite some less successful performances and mistakes at critical moments, the coach maintained his faith in Nunes. “He can be an incredible right-back because he is a defensive midfielder with extraordinary physical ability (…) Now, it depends on him. We talk a lot about this. It’s just a matter of changing his mindset and believing that he can do it, because he has special attributes to play wide,” Guardiola stated.
And the coach was right. Nunes is no longer the midfielder that Sporting fans admired; he has become an essential right-back for a team that aims to dominate possession and build plays from the back. In the current season, Nunes has already surpassed the number of starts in the Premier League since arriving at the Etihad, proving that the positional change was the right one. With 1,931 touches on the ball, according to Opta data, he is the player from Manchester City with the most interactions in the Premier League, highlighting his importance in Guardiola’s team structure.
The numbers are impressive: Nunes leads City in ball recoveries (120) and ranks second in successful passes (1,287). Additionally, he is the team’s third-best in duels won, with 107, just behind Jeremy Doku and Nico O’Reilly. The statistic that truly highlights his new role is the number of successful passes in the final third, 377, which is higher than Bernardo Silva’s. Although he plays on the right flank, Nunes plays a crucial role in linking the build-up phase to the creative zone, leveraging his skills as a midfielder.
However, this growing influence comes at a cost. Nunes also ranks as the City player with the most misplaced passes (162) and the most turnovers (264). These numbers reflect the profile of a full-back who frequently moves inward, receives the ball under pressure, and takes on the responsibility of speeding up the game with dribbles and vertical passes. With 17 successful dribbles, he is the fifth-best on the team, highlighting his hybrid playing style as both a midfielder and a full-back.
The big question now is whether this transformation will be enough to secure Nunes a place in the national team. Despite already having 17 international caps, he has started only two official matches and has yet to be a starter under Roberto Martínez. Since EURO 2024, Nunes has only played minutes in the last qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup. With the competition approaching, time is running out for the player to establish himself as a key piece in the manager’s plans.
Matheus Nunes’ journey is a testament to his resilience and adaptability. As the world’s biggest national team tournament approaches, all eyes will be on whether this Portuguese talent can make his mark both at Manchester City and with the national team.
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