João Neves on Armenia-Portugal start: “A really beautiful moment” | OneFootball

On the last night, September 6, Portugal started off on the right foot in the qualification for the 2026 World Cup, with a 5-0 victory against Armenia. Starting for the national team, João Neves did not hide his happiness for securing the three points, but the former Benfica player also spoke about the 'tribute' to Diogo Jota.

In statements to the national press at the end of the match, the former number 97 of the reds began by highlighting that it was an excellent victory: “I don't think it was easy. We knew we were going to face a very good and fierce team in counterattacks and duels, and we managed to match that with determination.”

After a minute of silence dedicated to Diogo Jota, André Silva, and Jorge Costa, Neves addressed the moment when Portugal scored the second goal of the match, right at the 21st minute: “He will always be among us in every game. It was very beautiful to score at the 21st minute”".

After being used as a full-back, the former Benfica player was invited to comment on Roberto Martínez's decision and said the following: “I play in midfield but it's up to the coach to decide my position. I always give my best because I always think of the team first".

Finally, he addressed his partnership with Vitinha, with whom he shares midfield duties, both with the Portugal jersey and at PSG: “As everyone knows, I like him a lot, he has quality to spare. I'm by his side to support him and vice versa. Football is a team game and both he and I think more about the team than ourselves”.

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