João Cancelo opens up after Hungary v Portugal: They look at me differently | OneFootball

Portugal defeated Hungary 3-2 in a qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup. João Cancelo, a former Benfica player, was the hero by scoring the winning goal in the 86th minute and, at the end of the match, assured that he is scrutinized for playing in Arabia - as he had already mentioned against Armenia.

"Individually, we are clearly superior to the teams in the group. In today’s football, we have to be much more than that. We have to be strong both individually and collectively and I think today we were, not as much as we wanted, because we try not to concede goals and to win matches more easily. We faced adversity, we knew how to overcome it, and the three points are deserved," he began by saying.

Asked about his return to the squad, the former Benfica player did not hide his happiness: "I always try to give my best, people look at me differently because I play in Saudi Arabia, in a league considered less competitive by many, but my quality remains the same and that’s what I showed in these two games for the national team. I want to keep coming here to help my country."

"I don’t think much about individual achievements, I try to give my best for my country, for my parents, my grandparents, my friends," admitted João Cancelo, former Benfica player, when asked about his individual expectations for the near future.

With the victory, for the World Cup the path to the final stage of the competition has become easier. Armenia (three), Hungary, and Ireland (one) close out the standings.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.