Portugal qualified for the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup by beating Uruguay 2-0, but Fernando Santos ended the game and asked for calm. Because? “It’s just that we get up very high after that, it’s better to take it easy. It was a deserved win, the team lived up to what they said. We’ve had some less good period, but the first phase is already passed. We’re qualified, now it’s time to keep working on improving what needs to be improved.” the technician said to RTP at the end of the game.
The selector acknowledged “great credit” for the Portuguese triumph and did not want to know anything about this “brilliant thing”. For Santos, the “most important thing was to keep the team solid”. And that more or less succeeded: “We have clearly shown a very strong unity, both in the quality of the game and in the mutual relationship. This is how positive things come about. We will always work like this, we want to bring joy to the Portuguese people and to ourselves.”
For the national coach, Portugal was superior and was not deterred by Uruguay’s impulsive entry: “They came in very aggressively to scare us, but I don’t think they needed that in those first few minutes. The team responded very well, with a lot of confidence and level-headedness. I told the players at half-time that we had to play our game, switch, play, show up with confidence. This is our game and we had to pick it up. There was some fatigue, others could have come in, but there are 26 of them and they can all play. The most important thing is that we won and we won well.”
Fernando Santos also explained William’s choice to play alongside Rúben Neves: “We have players with a lot of turnover, João [Cancelo], Ronaldo himself, Bernardo, Bruno… and William is very cerebral, the ball runs fast with one touch, one touch. He could also have taken another option. It was necessary to get the ball rolling with some simplicity and William has that. In addition, we also have other matters that are important in the analysis of set pieces.”
As for the last game, with Paulo Bento’s South Korea, are you going to save or launch the best team to keep first place, to avoid Brazil? Fernando Santos says he “didn’t even think about it”: “The game is over, we are qualified. Tomorrow I will think about these things calmly.” Already in the press room, he said that “Portugal wants to be first”, no matter who he can meet or avoid.
About Nuno Mendes he said that he is not a doctor and that we have to wait and see.
“I celebrated like it was Cristiano’s goal”
Bruno Fernandes scored twice. Initially, the first Portuguese goal was awarded to Cristiano Ronaldo, but FIFA awarded it to the Manchester United midfielder. Bruno told RTP3 that the idea was to switch to CR7. 🇧🇷I celebrated like it was Cristiano’s goal. It seemed to me that he had touched the ball, my aim was to make a cross for him. Anyway we are happy with the win, score one or score another. We know that Cristiano is a striker looking for goals and is more important for the strikers, but also for Gonçalo, André, Rafael and João, but the most important thing is the goal achieved, which is to be in the next phase.” , thus Portugal’s number 8 shirt.
Ronaldo responded on Instagram. “We’re in the last 16 of the World Cup! Great work, team! Against an opponent of great merit, we used our strength and our quality. Let’s keep going! We are in the fight and our dream is still alive! go, Portugal!” wrote the captain.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)
Diogo Costa praised the team in the game against Uruguay and admitted that first place is the goal: “Of course, but the most important thing is that we got through this stage. If we can pass in first place, better, but what matters going is this main goal, which was to succeed.”
The goalkeeper also spoke about the duel with Ghana that was worth the final fate for the Ghanaians. “It was a mistake I made, luckily it didn’t score. Luckily I don’t need anyone to tell me anything either, I learn from myself. Confidence comes every day with work and not just games”shot down the Portuguese goalkeeper.
Source: DN
