Portugal coach: Elimination is harsh, but we’re already looking to the future

On the early morning of July 6, Portugal was knocked out of the Euro 2024 quarter-finals after losing to France in a penalty shootout.

After the match, Portugal’s coach Roberto Martínez commented, “It’s a sad moment because the players gave everything, they did everything we’ve been working on for the past few weeks. There’s sadness in the dressing room, our fans deserved joy, but we fell standing. We showed the values of Portuguese football with high possession. France is a dangerous team, but we defended well, it was an even contest. Not scoring was cruel. We were unlucky in the penalties.”

Martínez added, “The emotions were high in the dressing room after the game, and I believe the players will grow a lot from this match. We created many chances in the attacking third. This performance fills us with pride for the future.”

The coach praised the experienced players, “Pepe has been an example throughout the Euros with everything he does. As a coach, I always watch his performance on the pitch. Players like Gonçalo Inácio or António Silva will learn valuable lessons from this elimination, gaining experience and a desire to improve, always looking to Pepe’s example.”

“The individual talent of this team is evident, and they demonstrated a united spirit, knowing how to handle pressure, always hungry for victory. We lost, but we did so with honor, giving our all for every minute, very characteristic of Portugal. We won’t stop here. We’ll continue moving forward.”

Speaking about the penalty shootout, Martínez said, “We trained very well for penalties this week, but the ball hitting the post and going out – that’s the difference. It’s not due to a lack of quality or preparation… it’s just luck, that’s football.”

Regarding João Félix, who missed the decisive penalty, Martínez assured, “The dressing room is united, and we’re now supporting the player who’s going through a difficult time. In a penalty shootout, only the taker can miss. What’s important is that we had a great preparation, and we must use it to grow, looking beyond the Euros. Life goes on after this match. We have to consider the fans’ attitude and support; it was a unique experience. We’re sad because we wanted to make them happy, but we gave our best effort.”