Criticism, the Obligation to Respond, and Uzbekistan: João Cancelo's Take

HOUSTON — Following the statements after the draw with DR Congo, do you believe Portugal lacks quality on the ball? If so, why?

What I said was that, in the game against DR Congo, we lacked quality on the ball, not that we inherently lack quality on the ball. That was evident in the match we played: we didn't create goal-scoring opportunities, and that's not normal for a team like ours. We have players with some of the best individual quality in the world, and we need to show that on the field; in the game against DR Congo, we failed to do so.

— How have you dealt with the noise surrounding the national team?

I try to distance myself from it. Perhaps five years ago, I would have paid more attention, but as I've grown as a person, I've changed a bit in that regard. But of course, some things always get through, and often unfairly. We know what we did wrong in the first game, we know we made mistakes, that we had an obligation to win, but it wasn't possible. The next day, the team was downcast, but that's because we want so much to bring joy to Portugal and the Portuguese people. This week of work has been very important because I saw all the players motivated, I saw all the players eager to respond. That's what's important for tomorrow: that we remain positive, that the Portuguese people are with us, and that we ignore those criticisms, because it's not positive or beneficial for our group.

— You're set to make your 70th appearance for Portugal, with 12 goals, but you haven't scored in a World Cup yet. Is tomorrow the day?

God willing. If so, and if it helps the team, which is what I and all my teammates want most. But the most important thing tomorrow is the victory itself. We have that obligation, we know, we have little room for error at this point, and we want to play a great game, with attractive football, and come away with the win.

— In these five days of training, what improvements have you seen in the team compared to what went wrong, making it almost impossible to fail in this upcoming match?

I've seen a great attitude from my teammates, in how we want to approach tomorrow's game, because we know the responsibility we carry. Of course, winning the World Cup isn't an obligation, but we'll do everything we can to achieve it. This group is fantastic, a spectacular group. We're all pulling in the same direction, and I ask you, and all Portuguese people, to be with us because, ultimately, we are all representing a nation. Everyone wants Portugal to win; especially us, because we know that if we fail, the criticism will fall on us, and rightly so, because we are the ones playing. I ask that you remain positive and that tomorrow is a great day for Portugal.

— What are the differences between DR Congo and Uzbekistan?

They are a completely different team from DR Congo. DR Congo was a much more physical team. Uzbekistan is a very organized team with very fast players up front. At Al Hilal, I had the opportunity to see and play against Uzbek teams, and it's a country that is evolving in football. It will be a difficult game tomorrow.

— How do you transform pressure into motivation?

There's a very good atmosphere within the group. Only on the day after the game were we a bit downcast, because everyone was disappointed with the game we played, and rightly so. We were favorites and were very eager to start this World Cup on the right foot. From the second day after the game, the attitude of the players and the group has been excellent. As I said, we have a fantastic group, and it's in these difficult moments that great players have to respond. I hope we respond tomorrow.

— Rúben Dias will likely return to the defensive line. What is the importance of his return and the impact of his leadership on the team?

Rúben Dias is a pillar of our national team, there's no hiding that. He's very important for our defense, but I don't want to undervalue the work done by Tomás Araújo and Renato Veiga, who played well against DR Congo. We all have to be prepared to play. If Rúben comes in and plays tomorrow, of course, he will be very important for us, but Tomás, Renato, Gonçalo Inácio, Diogo Dalot, or Rúben Neves (who can play there), all have to be ready to contribute to the team.