Cancelo: "This draw feels like a defeat"

João Cancelo's statements to SIC, following Portugal's draw against DR Congo in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup:

 "We controlled the game with possession, but we didn't create enough scoring opportunities. We need to generate more chances. There were moments where we rushed things, and that led to counter-attacks for the opposition. We have to learn from this first game."

"When you concede a goal, it always shakes you up. There are no easy games; Congo had their tactics well-studied, playing with a back five. They knew our strengths and weaknesses well, and it was up to us to perform better."

"There are many strong national teams. We won't hide that we are one of them, but we need to do more. We couldn't secure the win, and we must take this lesson to heart."

"It was more about rushing our play with the ball at certain moments. We scored the goal and then played well for another 15 minutes, but we didn't create opportunities. We rushed things in the final third."

"It's part of our lives. This draw feels like a defeat. We wanted to win, not just for ourselves, but for everything this group represents. We couldn't do it, we failed, and we need to stay grounded and correct our mistakes."