The Portuguese women’s soccer team was received this Friday in a celebration by a hundred people at the Lisbon airport, after the unprecedented qualification for a World Cup, which represents the work “of many years and generations.”
The Portuguese delegation left the Humberto Delgado Airport at 12:30 p.m., in front of a small crowd that was waiting to congratulate them on the historic feat, but time was short and the crowd was large, towards the Belém Palace, where, at 1 :00 hours, they were received by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
“A very great emotion, they were tears of many years and generations. It represents a lot for Portuguese women’s football. We knew the responsibility that this party had. To achieve this feat, make history and represent Portugal is incredible. Taking part in a World Cup for the first time is indescribable,” said captain Dolores Silva.
Without coach Francisco Neto, who stayed a few more days in New Zealand, the “quinas” team signed autographs and took photos with the people present in that area of the airport, while the Sporting de Braga player expressed the feeling experienced within of the enclosure. cluster.
“It is indescribable, a fantastic feeling to be able to share this with the work group, with all the effort we have been making. It has been a long road, we got here and we achieved our goal. It is the highest moment of our careers. Now it’s time to enjoy and prepare for what’s to come”, stressed the midfielder.
The 31-year-old footballer assumed that he was “very proud” to be the captain of a “fantastic” working group and stressed that, by being the first to qualify for a World Cup, they are “opening doors for future generations”.
“I hope that more and more girls want to play and that the future is bright. Portugal has a lot of talent, ”she underlined.
Also Carole Costa, author of the penalty that gave Portugal the victory, already in compensation time of the match with Cameroon (2-1), spoke to journalists and recalled the work “of clubs, federation and players” so that this step It has been taken.
“It is a huge joy, they have been days of great madness. We are very happy to be in the World Cup, it is a goal for everyone and we have been celebrating it since it happened”, said the experienced 32-year-old central defender, who represents Benfica champion.
The cent “is just going down now”, but Carole Costa stressed that the sanction that she pointed out “is not an easy moment, it is a great responsibility”, which allows the Portuguese to play a test with a “difficult” group: United States, Netherlands and Vietnam.
“It is a difficult group, but we have already shown that, in difficult moments, we manage to unite and fight great battles. That is what we are going to do”, assured the athlete.
For her part, the director of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), Mónica Jorge, said that the story made in New Zealand, on Wednesday, “represents a growing modality, to which the federation has been betting for a long time, and with positive results for all levels”.
“It was another page that was written, very beautiful and consistent, since it is a process of several years. There were many players who started with us at the age of 15, only to arrive here one day, to a final like this. because for us it was a final-, and to be able to mark the dream”, explained the federation leader, who was once a Portuguese coach.
Regarding the objectives for the first World Cup in history, Mónica Jorge pointed out that the team must give their best, continue “doing more and wanting more”.
“Participation in the World Cup will make everyone grow, the players, the clubs where they are inserted and a League [portuguesa] that we intend to be increasingly stronger and more competitive”, advanced the director of the FPF.
The Portuguese women’s soccer team qualified this Wednesday for the 2023 World Cup, beating Cameroon 2-1, in the final of Group A of the Intercontinental Play-off, in Hamilton, New Zealand, thanks to the penalty taken by Carole Coast.
The goal of the central defense, scored at minute 90+4, sealed the unprecedented Portuguese classification, after the Cameroonian Ajara Nchout annulled, at minute 89, the goal by Diana Gomes, at minute 22.
Francisco Neto’s men join, in Group E, the runners-up Holland (July 23), Vietnam (July 27) and the United States, current holders of the trophy (August 1), from July 20 to August 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
Source: TSF
