Portugal National Team Coach Roberto Martinez said that a difficult match with high emotional intensity awaits them against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Martinez held a press conference at Houston Stadium before the match against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K on June 17 at 20:00 GMT.
Stating that they had a very good preparation period, the Spanish coach said, “We all need to have great respect for Congo. They played a lot of matches with their coach, I think it was 48 matches. This indicates a very good working period at the national team level. We are talking about a team that eliminated Cameroon and Nigeria. Then they played an intercontinental play-off. Therefore, I can say that they are a very flexible team tactically. In other words, they are not a team that just waits behind in the low block.” he said.
Asked about the injury of defender Ruben Dias, Martinez said, “There is a situation where he is not 100 percent ready for the match on June 18. He is not fully suitable for the match right now. It is not the time to take risks. He is currently working individually and I think it is most logical for him to continue his recovery process.” he replied.
Regarding the news that he will leave his job after the World Cup and continue his career in England, the experienced coach said, “After winning the Nations League and 40 matches behind, our focus is still the same. The most important thing is the World Cup. My contract ends after the World Cup. Therefore, this is not news, it is just a fact.” he said.
When asked his opinion about giving water breaks even in stadiums with roofs and air conditioning systems, Martinez said:
“This changes the game. If we need water breaks, which we definitely do, because matches are played in very challenging stadiums. These breaks need to be applied as standard in all matches in the tournament. It is important to have the same practice in every match for the integrity of the tournament and the fairness of the competition. It is not my job to say whether these breaks are necessary or not, but as a coach I can say that when these breaks are given, they greatly affect our management in the game. In the past, there was a tactical talk before the match, half-time and the end of the match. Now there are 4 different stoppage periods in the game. This creates tactical flexibility and gives the players “It is a revolutionary and very important element in terms of being able to intervene immediately.”
Stating that teams such as Qatar and Cape Verde showed everyone that there are no easy matches in the tournament, Martinez said, “A difficult match with high emotional intensity awaits us.” he said.
FERNANDES: “I FEEL AS IF IT WAS MY FIRST MATCH”
Portuguese football player Bruno Fernandes said that they feel a great responsibility because they have great talents that will enable the national team to compete in the advanced rounds.
When asked what he expected from the match, the experienced football player reminded his opponents’ rank in the world class and said, “The ranking is not very important in such tournaments. Congo is a very talented team, the majority of their players play in the big leagues. They may not have names as flashy as our national team, but they have names that are well-known and have had very good careers so far, and deserve all kinds of respect. They are a very physical team in terms of defense; they can play with both a 5-man line and a 4-man line.” he said.
Stating that he has always had an exciting personality personally, Fernandes continued as follows:
“I feel like it’s my first match. I’m excited just to be here right now. I’ll be excited on June 18. But I think it’s an anxiety excitement that comes with the desire to play, the desire to be on the field. We represent the dream of thousands of boys and girls who will watch us in Portugal. Just like I was that child at the time. At the 2004 European Championship, I would walk the streets with the flag on my back and paint on my face, towards the giant screens to try to see Portugal.”
Fernandes stated that a very difficult match awaits them and added that they will play against a team of high quality one-on-one, very fast in front and very strong in sudden attacks.