Roberto Martínez criticized for benching Rafael Leão in World Cup

Portugal opened their 2026 World Cup campaign against DR Congo on June 17 without Rafael Leão, AC Milan’s forward, in their starting lineup. Roberto Martínez opted for a more conservative tactical setup, with Leão watching from the bench.

Schmeichel leads the criticism

Peter Schmeichel, the former Manchester United and Denmark goalkeeper, didn’t mince words. On June 18, one day after the DR Congo match, Schmeichel publicly questioned Martínez’s logic in leaving both Leão and João Félix on the bench.

Leão has been cast in the “super-sub” role throughout the tournament so far. He was named to Portugal’s 26-man squad on May 19, so there’s no question about his fitness or standing within the group. This is a coaching choice, pure and simple.

What this means for the $ACM fan token and crypto investors

Leão’s role at the World Cup has direct implications for the AC Milan $ACM fan token. Fan engagement metrics tend to spike when star players perform on the biggest stages, and the World Cup is the biggest stage there is.

The relationship between football and crypto isn’t new for Leão specifically. Back in September 2022, he won the Serie A Goal of the Month award, which was sponsored by Crypto.com. That kind of sponsorship overlap illustrates how deeply intertwined player visibility and crypto market activity have become.

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