Altitude, Headaches, and a 'Celebration' at the Azteca: Everything Roberto Martínez Said

Portugal's national team coach, Roberto Martínez, held a press conference to preview Sunday morning's match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, a preparatory game for the 2026 World Cup.

«In football, we love special memories and moments. Playing at the Azteca is a special moment for any player. I remember being a boy and watching the '86 World Cup and the magic that happened in that stadium. Every fan has a story with that stadium. It's a legendary stadium and a legendary team. Players love wearing the Mexican national team jersey. It's a good challenge. Mexico is a different opponent, with a CONCACAF style – aggressive, with high intensity and individual quality. I'm loving the dynamic, the training level, the fresh blood showing responsibility, respect, but also great confidence. We will manage minutes responsibly, preparing for the future without losing sight of the present, but I think it will be a football celebration at the Azteca Stadium.»

«I've already discussed the profiles of our strikers. The center-forward position in the national team is for Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonçalo Ramos. Then, we intended to observe all players in the number 10 role and on the wings: Pedro Gonçalves, Ricardo Horta, João Félix, Chico, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão. When Rafael Leão was withdrawn from the squad, we had to make a decision: do we call up another winger to replace him, or is it Paulinho's moment? Our decision was that it was Paulinho's moment, based on merit. Given the versatility of our squad, we could use Gonçalo Guedes, who was an option as a forward like Gonçalo Ramos, on the wing, and make space for Paulinho. This is purely due to Paulinho's merit and what he's been doing here in Mexico. He's working very well. I've said it's very difficult to get into the national team, but in football, and in life, you need moments of luck. This might be Paulinho's lucky moment, but now it's in his hands, and he will have his role. He's a player who has a very good connection with many players in the national team.»

«It's a scientific point. The body needs 14-15 training sessions to adapt to playing at altitude. We don't have that during a World Cup. The other aspect of being able to work at altitude is to train at sea level until the last moment. The idea was to understand how players perform at altitude after training at sea level with high humidity and arriving in Mexico City at the last minute. We arrived at midnight. If we need to play at the Azteca in the future, we'll have a lot of information on what we need to do with our players individually to ensure they are in the best possible condition.»

«First, we need to manage minutes responsibly; it's important to protect the players. But we are here to compete well. When the national team plays, it plays to win, and at the same time, we observe different solutions and all aspects of preparation. Regarding goalkeepers, we have two who have been working very well during training camps with Diogo Costa: José Sá will play one game, and Rui Silva will play the other. A word also for Ricardo Velho, who returned to the national team and shows why he is the fourth goalkeeper. It's also worth noting that this is the first time in history that FIFA has authorized more than six substitutions in a game. This is an important aspect; we're talking about March, which is a difficult period for players. Tomorrow, in the game against Mexico, we have 10 substitutions, and against the United States, we have 11. We want to try to give all players minutes within what the game requires and for the team to perform at a high level.»

«It's not easy for a European team to play at the Azteca. So, it's a good challenge for us. We know that the Mexican national team hasn't lost at home against a European team for a long time. We respect that. It shows the difficulty for European teams, and that's the challenge we're looking for. All players deserve to get minutes.»

«Mateus Fernandes is an excellent example of our youth development in Portugal. He's a player who went on loan to Estoril, had a good season, moved abroad, and continued to grow. Then he had a transfer worth over 40 million euros and is now a very important player, always playing in the most competitive league in the world. The national team door is open for situations like Mateus'. We also have continuity. There are new players who have already been in the national team: Samu Costa, Paulinho, Tomás Araújo. I loved the first day. A very committed, very professional team, with great confidence. These are our values, and the balance is good. We hope the games will be key moments to evaluate our team individually and collectively.»

«Lourenço's arrival has been very important; we've worked very well together. He is a very competent person, an excellent professional with extensive experience in Portuguese football and football in general. He is also a very amiable person, and his contribution has been crucial for the final phase of World Cup preparation. The Federation's future is in good hands because Lourenço's role isn't just with the senior national team; it's a very positive point.»

«It's positive because I've already spoken about the complexity of the competition. I think the 2026 World Cup is the most complex I've worked on. We need energy, versatility, many tactical aspects, the tactical flexibility we've shown in the last 36 games. We now need to bring all of that together in a squad of 26 players, 23 field players. These 'headaches' are welcome because the final choice needs to be difficult, not a popular one. I'm very happy with what I'm seeing during this training camp. The objective of this camp was to seek new solutions, dynamics, and competitiveness in training.»

The hardest thing is simplicity. Paulinho has to be himself. The truth is, Paulinho would probably be in any other national team in the world, but in Portugal, it's difficult when you have players like Gonçalo Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo. It's not a question of what he has to do; he has to be himself. He's intelligent, he's trained very well, and it's a well-deserved reward for what he's been doing in Mexico; he's a natural goalscorer. In football, we need luck with things we can't control. The final decision isn't up to the player, but it can influence things.»

«I have complete admiration for the Mexican national team because, from a very young age, there have always been players who leave their mark on us as we grow, like a Hugo Sánchez. He's a player who sparks your interest early on, whose team you watch and follow. I've followed all World Cups closely, and the passion surrounding 'El Tri' with its fans is incredible. I believe that passion encompasses everything. I have total admiration for 'Profe' Aguirre. What he did in Spain was very innovative when he arrived, and he manages to create a sense of unity within the national team. We see a very well-organized, well-structured team that knows exactly what it's doing and combines that collective structure with the individual quality we all know Mexico possesses, that intricate play between the lines and Raúl Jiménez's finishing ability. We expect a team that will demand a lot from us in that regard, a very competitive team that, much like our own national team, is deeply loved by the people it represents. It's normal for there to be this need to win, to please; that passion is part of the lives of those who follow the Mexican national team.»

«You know the life of a coach well: we win three games and we're much better than we are, we lose three and we're much worse. I never maintain direct contact while under contract, but when my contract with Belgium ended, there were a couple of conversations with the Mexican national team, but nothing concrete. I don't think I'm the right person to comment on what the Mexican national team needs. What I do know is that it's under the command of someone who has all the knowledge and potential to get the most out of this group. I also believe that, as an organizer – whenever Mexico has hosted the tournament, they've reached the quarter-finals – there's always that one step missing, which comes down to the details of World Cups. We're talking about the best competition in the world, with the best players, so the details are minimal: a ball hitting the post and going in or out can decide whether you go far or not. But I believe that Mexico, playing at home, with their fans, at the Azteca, will perform very well. I have no doubt that 'Profe' Aguirre is the perfect person to extract maximum performance from his players.»

«We are not favorites. Only teams that have won the World Cup can be favorites. It's true that we probably won the most difficult edition of the Nations League ever, playing ten matches, beating Germany and Spain in the final. It's normal for people to say that. Portugal is a contender, yes, but to be a favorite, you have to have overcome that psychological barrier. If you have a generation that has won, you ask why you can't do it too. Brazil, England, France, Argentina enter differently. I don't know any team that arrives as champions. You have to make it happen. In 2010, Spain lost their first match and won the World Cup; with Argentina in 2022, the same thing happened. I love the players we have. We are convinced that we can grow in the first three matches.»