In the centre of this blustering World Cup match, William Carvalho could be seen loping gamely after the twinkling feet of Isco. This was exactly the sort of game in which a defensive midfielder such as Carvalho was required; it was also the sort of game which blew right past him and left him barely necessary.

It didn’t start that way. No one touched the ball as many times as Carvalho in the opening three minutes, as he drifted across the pitch in the quarter-back slot keeping Portugal ticking, and keeping the pressure high, until Cristiano Ronaldo drew the early penalty which put Portugal in front.

Thereafter the Spanish carousel began to dominate the ball. Isco made a resounding case for why Julen Lopetegui should build his Real Madrid midfield around the 26-year-old, Andres Iniesta drifted and floated in spaces between red shirts, while Sergio Busquets stood and passed and passed some more.

World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Show all 24 1 /24 World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Portugal Portuguese football team (From L, front row) midfielder Joao Moutinho, defender Raphael Guerreiro, midfielder Bernardo Silva, defender Cedric, defender Jose Fonte, (back row) defender Pepe, midfielder William Carvalho, defender Bruno Alves, forward GonÃ§alo Guedes, goalkeeper Rui Patricio and forward Cristiano Ronaldo pose before the friendly football match between Portugal and Algeria, on June 7, 2018 at the Luz stadium in Lisbon. (Photo by JOSE MANUEL RIBEIRO / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOSE MANUEL RIBEIRO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Rui Patricio - 6 Could do little about the three Spanish goals, looked like a safe pair of hands for the rest of the game. Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Cedric Soares - 7 Got forward well, and was one of the better Portuguese defenders when faced with Costa and co. REUTERS World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Pepe - 6 Should have done better for the opening Costa goal and looked a little rusty against an in-form striker. REUTERS World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Jose Fonte - 7 Strong at the back, and could do little about the Spanish goals. AFP/Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Raphael Guerreiro - 7 Solid for Portugal but sometimes bewildered by Spanish passing – but that could be said for everyone at times. AFP/Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings William Carvalho - 7 Strong and powerful, good in possession and won the ball back several times. REUTERS World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Joao Moutinho - 7 Reliable and hard working for Portugal, sometimes over run in midfield but didn’t stop for his team. REUTERS World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Bruno Fernandes - 6 One of the weaker players for Portugal, hauled off in the second half whilst on a yellow. AFP/Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Bernardo Silva - 6 Not the Silva we were used to seeing at Manchester City, taken off early in the second half. EPA World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Goncalo Guedes - 6 Had chances on the counter to hurt Spain in the first half but fluffed his lines. EPA World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Cristiano Ronaldo - 10 Cool and calm under pressure for the penalty, lucky for his second, but stupendous for the third. Didn’t put a foot wrong. Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Spain (top L-R) Spain's goalkeeper David De Gea, Spain's defender Sergio Ramos, Spain's defender Gerard Pique, Spain's midfielder Sergio Busquets, Spain's forward Diego Costa, Spain's midfielder Koke, (bottom L-R) Spain's forward David Silva, Spain's midfielder Andres Iniesta, Spain's defender Nacho Fernandez, Spain's midfielder Isco and Spain's defender Jordi Alba pose for photographs before the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Portugal and Spain at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on June 15, 2018. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS (Photo credit should read PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings David De Gea - 5 Could do nothing for Ronaldo’s early penalty, but an absolute howler for his second, and unsighted for his third. Not his finest 90 minutes. REUTERS World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Nacho - 7 A mixed bag from the defender. Poor to bring down Ronaldo for the penalty, but the best goal he will ever score to make up for it. EPA World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Gerard Pique - 7 Good in possession as ever, and with Ronaldo scoring from two set pieces and a goalkeeping error he will feel unlucky to concede three. AFP/Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Sergio Ramos - 7 Some beautiful cross field balls and passing, looked fairly solid at the back especially against Guedes. REUTERS World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Jordi Alba - 6 A quiet game by his standards, good in possession as expected but not as much of an attacking threat as usual. EPA World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Sergio Busquets - 7 Winning the ball back consistently, and spreading possession, Busquets remains calm and collected. AFP/Getty Images World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Koke - 7 The man behind the passing, never takes the headlines but kept Spanish midfield ticking. REUTERS World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings David Silva - 8 An impressive performance to link with Costa up front, and a constant danger for Portugal. AP World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Isco - 9 A brilliant talent, controlling the passing and play all over the pitch. His skills and trickery frustrated Portugal. EPA World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Andres Iniesta - 7 Tired towards the end before being substituted, but showed glimpses of his passing that oozes class. EPA World Cup: Portugal vs Spain player ratings Diego Costa - 9 One of his best performances in a Spanish shirt, two goals and an overall good performance. Unlucky to be subbed. AFP/Getty Images

Carvalho is one of those players who could put himself in the shop window during this tournament, and he showed glimpses of what has made him such a key player at Sporting. His simple passing helped Portugal retain the ball in tight spots and move upfield. A sharp switch of play launched a first-half counter-attack which eventually dwindled to nothing, and back he went.

As the match wore on and Spain created more, Carvalho became harder to spot. When Diego Costa fired several shots away in the second half, Portugal’s water-carrier splashed on to the scene a little too late.

His club Sporting are in chaos right now, with Carvalho one of a number of players to have rescinded their contracts over a training ground assault by some of the club’s ultra supporters. It means he is likely to be playing somewhere new in August, with West Ham one of those clubs linked after going close to a deal last summer.