“Energy” was a word frequently mentioned this Sunday by Roberto Martínez, as he expressed what he hopes to see from his players tomorrow in Split. Before the national coach spoke, João Cancelo addressed the media. The Portuguese international stated that Portugal will face Croatia for national “pride”.
“Pride counts. We play for Portugal, for our family, for our friends. The game might not mean much in terms of points, but we always play to win,” said João Cancelo at the press conference ahead of the sixth and final matchday.
Now in his first season with Al Hilal, the 30-year-old full-back expressed surprise at the level of football he has encountered in Saudi Arabia and even showed some irritation when questioned about the alleged low intensity of the local league.
“It’s only less intense because you don’t know and have never played there… it’s a myth. I thought it was much weaker than it actually is. I still believe that the best players play in Europe, but every year, the Saudi league is evolving. I feel perfectly fine physically,” he emphasized.
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Regarding the clash with Croatia, who need just one point to qualify, Cancelo admitted he is a fan of midfielder Kovacic and reminded that the national team will face a side that is “very good tactically and technically”.
“It will be a very technical game, between two teams that have players of the highest level,” he concluded.
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