Paulinho reveals after Mexico-Portugal: I had the role of... | OneFootball

Portugal drew 0-0 with Mexico at the reopening of the Azteca Stadium, in a match in which Roberto Martínez made several changes at half-time. Paulinho was one of the players brought on in the second half and was eventually applauded by the Mexican fans.

At the end of the match, the Toluca forward and former Sporting player said he was pleased with the reception and left a curious message for the 2026 World Cup: "Mexico didn’t surprise me, I know them, they have a lot of quality, they have very good players. I’m very happy they are like this and that they’re on the right path. If Portugal don’t win, then I hope Mexico do", he said.

The Portugal international also analysed the match, highlighting the difficulties of playing at altitude. "There were no goals, but it was a good game, one where we were able to learn many things, and to understand that playing at altitude is not easy. People who don’t know have no idea how difficult it is", he said.

Paulinho also praised Bruno Fernandes, underlining the midfielder’s importance in Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence: "Bruno, even if he gets one thing or another wrong, he never plays badly, he’s one of those different players. The ball travels differently", he said.

The forward who won the title with Sporting did not hide his emotion at playing in the country where he now plays and where he has been shown so much affection. "It was a very special night for me. Playing here with my country, in Mexico and against Mexico, was perfect. You are wonderful; ever since I arrived, you have treated me very well, thank you very much", he said.

Finally, Paulinho revealed that he had to reassure the team regarding safety. "I had the role of speaking to my teammates and telling them that this is a safe country. Obviously, what happens here, who knows, doesn’t happen in Portugal or in Europe, but it’s not a daily thing or something that happens regularly, you know? So I had to speak to them, reassure them, but they also really like Mexico", he concluded.

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