The story of Nuno Tavares in Rome was supposed to be winding down. A difficult season under Maurizio Sarri, a new left-back in Alfonso Pedraza, and a summer of rumours pointing to the exit door painted a clear picture: squad player at best, forgotten man at worst.
Instead, he has forced the narrative to flip.
Gattuso’s gamble pays off
Gennaro Gattuso walked into Lazio and didn’t just keep Tavares around; he handed him responsibility. The Italian gave the 26-year-old his place back in the XI and, crucially, gave him freedom. Defend with more discipline, then drive forward with conviction. No half-measures.
Tavares took the challenge personally. The rough edges from the Sarri era became lessons. Positioning tightened up, decision-making sharpened, and his natural aggression down the flank suddenly had structure.
The result has been one of the most eye-catching individual revivals in Serie A’s early weeks.
A statement performance against Milan
It all came together in the 2-2 draw with AC Milan. On a night full of big names and bigger reputations, the Lazio full-back was everywhere.
He surged, overlapped, and picked his moments. Tavares played a decisive part in both Matteo Cancellieri’s and Tijjani Noslin’s goals, turning defence into attack with the kind of authority that once made Arsenal invest in him. For long stretches, he looked like the best player on the pitch.
That performance didn’t just rescue a point for Lazio. It reopened a door he hadn’t walked through in almost a year.
Jorge Jesus calls
Portugal’s new head coach Jorge Jesus has taken notice. In a squad announcement loaded with familiar stars, one of the most striking names was Nuno Tavares of Lazio.
He returns to a national team where his record remains modest: three caps, all from the bench, the last of them against Hungary in October 2025. Then, silence. No call-ups, no cameos, just the long wait that often kills international careers.
Now he’s back.
Realism still applies. Tavares is expected to operate as understudy to Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes, widely viewed as the premier left-back in world football. But this international window is different. Portugal face four group-stage matches in the new UEFA Nations League, against Wales, Norway twice, and Denmark. Rotation won’t be optional; it will be essential.
Minutes are there for the taking. So is a permanent place in the conversation.
Ronaldo still looms large
Even Tavares’ return, though, couldn’t fully steal the spotlight. The biggest talking point around Jorge Jesus’ squad remains the enduring presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, still leading the line and still central to the national narrative despite his advancing years and club situation at Al Nassr.
The call-up list underlines the blend of eras in this Portugal side:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), Rui Silva (Sporting), Samuel Soares (Benfica)
Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), João Cancelo (Barcelona), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting), Rúben Dias (Manchester City), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Tomás Araújo (Benfica), Nuno Tavares (Lazio)
Midfielders: Rúben Neves (Al Hilal), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid), João Palhinha (Benfica)
Forwards: João Félix (Al Nassr), Francisco Trincão (Al Ahli), Francisco Conceição (Juventus), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Rafael Leão (Galatasaray), Gonçalo Ramos (AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Fábio Silva (Borussia Dortmund)
For Tavares, that list is more than a roll call of stars. It is proof that his resurgence in Rome has translated into trust at national level.
From almost out of the picture at Lazio to sharing a dressing room with Portugal’s elite again, his turnaround has been sharp, decisive, and earned. The next question is simple: is this just a recall, or the start of a permanent second act in the Seleção shirt?
