Tottenham’s Mateus Fernandes is proving a point after Portugal squad snub

Tottenham midfielder Mateus Fernandes responded to his senior Portugal squad snub by captaining Portugal's Under-21 side to a 4-0 victory over Gibraltar. Manager Jorge Jesus left the 22-year-old out of the senior Nations League squad following a slow start to his Tottenham career. Fernandes played the full 90 minutes in the win, registering an assist for Goncalo Oliveira and contributing to a forced own goal as Portugal secured qualification for next year's European Under-21 Championship finals.

Fernandes joined Tottenham from West Ham in an £85m permanent transfer over the summer. Despite facing early scrutiny over his form, the midfielder noted he is still developing, while Tottenham staff reportedly remain convinced he will become one of the world's best players.