Portugal's draw and Cancelo's comments

Portugal expected a strong start at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo left a bitter taste in the squad's mouth, especially for Joao Cancelo. The full-back was the harshest critic after the game and didn't hesitate to describe the result as a direct blow to the team's aspirations.

Cancelo admitted that the draw "feels like a defeat" and that the team "failed" in its World Cup debut. He explained that the intention was to win "for the group, for Diogo, and for the parents who were in the stands," making it clear that the emotional impact of the result was greater than expected. For the defender, this setback forces Portugal to "come back to reality" and keep its feet on the ground

High-quality opponents

The fullback recalled that in a World Cup "all the teams are of the highest quality" and cited as an example Spain's draw against Cape Verde, another result that surprised on the first day. In his analysis of the match, he acknowledged that Portugal controlled possession but created few scoring chances, and he was especially critical of the team's rashness in the final third.

According to Cancelo, that lack of clarity allowed the DR Congo to find space to launch dangerous counterattacks. "In the final third, we rushed and failed to turn our dominance into clear-cut chances," he said, stressing that the team did not live up to the expectations that came with being the favorites when they arrived at the tournament.

Good strategy by the opponent

He also highlighted the opponent's good strategy, which defended with a five-man line and executed a clear plan to exploit Portugal's weaknesses. Even so, Cancelo stressed that Portugal cannot be considered an absolute favorite, although it is "one of the favorites," and that the next match has a single objective: "The only thing that matters is winning."

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