Portugal secured their place at the 2026 World Cup with a resounding 9-1 victory against Armenia. While the scoreline speaks volumes, it was the performance of João Neves that truly caught the eye. The national team midfielder bagged a hat-trick, marking a memorable debut in front of the home crowd.
Neves: Team Success Above All
Speaking after the match, Neves emphasized the importance of the team's qualification for the World Cup. "For me, as I always say, the collective is always above the individual," he stated. "I'm very happy to score my first goal with the national team, the second and the third too. I'm happy to be able to share the field with great players and with a great collective, with great potential for me to win. So, this afternoon is memorable for me for those aspects."
Neves also addressed the difference between this match and previous performances, attributing the high number of goals to the team's collective work ethic and preparation. "I think this number of goals is the consequence of that collective work during the game and during the week in training, the way we prepare ourselves," he explained. "We've had several games with so many goal opportunities, but we never realized them. And today was a game where we managed to realize in the best way, so the many goals we scored today. But, as I say, it's not the first time we've created so many opportunities, I think it was the first time we've realized more."
Gonçalo Ramos: Portugal Always Favourites
Adding to the positive atmosphere, Gonçalo Ramos declared Portugal as favourites in any competition they enter. "In any competition we enter, we are favourites, but it is step by step," Ramos said. "We still have preparation games in March and a season ahead." He also expressed his desire for more time with the national team, stating, "Everyone helps and I am one more. Everyone would like to have more time."
With Portugal's qualification secured and talented players like João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos in their ranks, the future looks bright for Portuguese football. The World Cup 2026 awaits!