More comfortable on the right, mischief with Trincão, Ronaldo's obsession, and being the most handsome: everything Pedro Neto said

- An assist in the first game, a starter in both. Is this the ideal physical and mental moment for you to truly shine in this tournament, especially in the upcoming match against Colombia?

• First of all, I want to express my solidarity with the people of Venezuela, given what happened, to their families and the victims, especially since we have a large number of Portuguese people there. Answering your question, I hope so, I hope I can explode. Things have been going well, both for the team and individually. I'm here to help, and I hope this is the moment. We need an important game to finish first in the group, and I want to seize this opportunity to help the team, if I'm called upon to play, so we can advance as group leaders.

-How are you living your dream of being in a World Cup?

- It's a source of immense pride, undoubtedly a childhood dream. Unfortunately, I missed the 2022 World Cup, so I'm here with all my energy and determination. I want to make the most of my first World Cup to achieve great things and, above all, try to bring the trophy back to Portugal, which is our main objective.

-Pedro, you usually play on the left wing, but in the last game, you appeared on the right. Which of the two positions do you feel more comfortable in?

- Even at my club, I'm quite versatile. Here with the national team, the coach has also used me on both flanks many times. Honestly, I feel more comfortable on the right, but I think throughout my career, I've played more on the left. I feel comfortable in any position; I want to help the team, I want to be at my best, and that's what I always try to focus on.

-Pedro, you've been a starter. I'd like to ask if that starting status exists within the national team, or if the coach conveys that everyone is a potential starter and, therefore, must be prepared at all times?

- Since the coach arrived, it's been clear that any player can start. The coach has shown that he rotates the squad a lot, and all players are ready to play. That's what everyone has in mind: no one has a guaranteed starting role, but everyone has an important role. That's a strong characteristic of this group: everyone knows they can play and can help. It's with that mentality that we must continue in the tournament.

-Pedro and Trincão grew up together in Minho, shared dressing rooms at Braga, Vianense, and later at Wolverhampton. What has changed over these years? When you get together, are you still those kids?

- It's not about being rivals; it's healthy competition. Trincão and I got along very well even at Braga; we shared the same van and shared good stories. Whenever I'm with him, I know it's for laughs; I can't be next to him without getting into mischief. That's the healthy competition we have here in the national team. We both know we want to play and we work for it, but, above all, we are here to help the national team, and that's the most important thing.

- After the first game, the message was to react. In the second game, after the victory against Uzbekistan, Colombia is next, with several players we know well from Portuguese football. How do you view this opponent, and what is the keyword for these days of preparation for the third game?

- We know we're facing an opponent who missed out on Qatar but is in good form, has a strong team, and was a Copa América finalist. I think the keyword is resilience, to which I'd add hard work. That's what we've been doing: we've been resilient and we've worked very hard. For the game against Colombia, that's also the key, knowing that they are a very combative South American team, very strong in that aspect, and we have to match or surpass those qualities.

- How do you view Portugal's situation in the group? It has been shown many times that finishing first isn't always the best path. Are you already looking ahead, considering possible scenarios and opponents, or is the focus solely on finishing first, and then you'll see?

- To be honest, sometimes we do look at situations that could happen. I'd be lying if I said we don't consider what might happen if we finished second or third. However, as Portuguese, our mentality is always to want to be the best. We will approach the Colombia game aiming to finish first, regardless of what might happen in other groups. Our mentality is to play a great game and finish in first place.

- Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to reach 6 goals in World Cups and said he was back after some difficult moments. How did you experience that moment with Cristiano? 

- It was obvious that the group was happy for him. We know he lives for goals and is obsessed with it, so the group is happy. We always like to see the best doing what they love most. 

-Pedro, you were voted one of the most handsome players in this World Cup on social media. Is that a topic of banter among the group?

- I don't think it's a cause for admiration; it's completely normal. It wasn't even a topic in the locker room because the group already had a unanimous opinion about me being the most handsome [smiles].

- Will the national team be able to carry the intensity they showed in the Houston game into the Miami game? Do you think that from this game onwards, other teams will start to see Portugal as a strong contender?

- I don't think it was exactly anger; it was more about wanting to play an even better game. In the first game, in my opinion, we started well, but then we let our intensity drop a bit, also because it was the debut. In the second game, I think the way we started and maintained the rhythm was clear. As for Portugal being a contender, all teams know the quality of our players and the unity we have, especially since we won the Nations League. All national teams already looked at us differently after that competition and continue to look at us the same way. They know we are a strong team, just as we know the strong opponents in this World Cup. We are only concerned with doing our job, following our path, and going as far as possible.

- When you were playing for Wolverhampton, you suffered two very serious injuries and were out for almost a year. Looking back now and experiencing your first World Cup as a starter, did you ever think at that time that this would be an impossibility in your career?

A: Yes, at the time it was a very difficult moment, and I didn't know what might happen. Fortunately, today I am living a dream. If you had asked me a few years ago if it would be possible to be here, I would have said I always believed it was. I always believed I would recover in the best way and be able to represent Portugal again, and fortunately, I managed to do it.

- Pedro, you play with speed, you're very strong in duels, and very aggressive. In a recent interview, your mother said that when you arrived at training, they would say, "Look, Pestinha's mom is here." Did that personality help shape the player you are today, who never gives up on a duel and makes intensity his greatest strength?

- Yes, without a doubt. My game is very much based on that: intensity, one-on-one duels, and speed, because that's how I am off the field. I'm an intense and transparent person who gives my all, whether on or off the pitch. These are things I bring onto the field. In my mentality, when something is missing, the only thing that cannot be missing is attitude. That's how I'll always be, and that's how I hope to continue. This comes a lot from what I've experienced over the years, and I hope to remain healthy and with this energy.

- How is the atmosphere in the national team? It felt like after the draw with Congo, there was some tension due to the volume of criticism, which you probably considered exaggerated. Did the result against Uzbekistan act as a trigger for the players to truly enjoy the World Cup, already thinking about the knockout stages?

- It's normal for things not to look so good after the first game if we didn't get the win we wanted. We have a very strong and winning mentality, so it's normal to be a bit down when we don't win. Criticism is part of the game, and we have to know how to deal with it. In the second game, we used that as motivation to go out and give our best. That's what happened. Without a doubt, it acted as a trigger of motivation for this upcoming game, where we want to win and finish first.

- What are the expectations regarding the Miami climate and the game atmosphere, knowing that there will be many Colombian fans in the stadium? How do you view this impact, being a decisive game to determine the group leader?

- Without a doubt, it will be a challenge due to the heat and the atmosphere, with many Colombians there. However, what we have been doing is focusing exclusively on our work, our way of playing, our essence, and our identity. That's what we will do in the next game to try to top the group.

- From the day you all came together as a group until today, what aspect has the national team improved on the most? And do you, Pedro, watch other World Cup matches, like Brazil against Scotland?

- The aspect this group always tends to improve on is hard work. That is, when things don't go so well, we tend to work even harder and be more resilient. I think that's where we've improved. As for other World Cup games, honestly, I don't watch much football beyond our own, so I haven't been paying much attention to the results or Brazil's performances. We are only aware of the possibility of facing teams we might encounter in the knockout stages, but otherwise, I don't follow it much.

- Portugal is considered one of the favorite teams in Brazil due to its squad, but at the same time, it carries the symbolic weight of potentially being Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup. Is this added pressure or extra motivation for you?

- I think it ends up being extra motivation. It leaves an even better taste, in the sense that we really want to help him achieve that goal. It's an achievement he's missing, and he wants to win as much as we do. It's a motivation for us to give that final joy to someone who has also given us so much.

- You shared a locker room with Raúl Jiménez at Wolverhampton, who went through a very tough situation at the time. What does it mean to you today to see him recover and score his first goal?

- I get along very well with Raúl; we're even neighbors in London. I was very happy for him and for what he went through this year with his father. It makes me very happy to see him as he is, enjoying football, and that's something that brings me a lot of joy.

- FIFA commented that there was huge demand for tickets for this game. What do you, as players, expect from a match that the whole world is eager to see?

- We expect a difficult and intense game, which we are all eager to play. It's always a very lively game, with a lot of grit, and I personally really like this style. I think people will witness a great spectacle, and that's what we will try to deliver. That's why there was such high demand for tickets. Above all, we want to enjoy this kind of atmosphere to the fullest, which I hope will be spectacular.

- Is Luis Díaz the most important player for the Colombian national team, in your opinion?

- I know Colombia has great players. Without a doubt, Luis Díaz is a great and very influential player, but we can't focus only on one individual. Muñoz, for example, has also scored two goals so far. We have to focus on their collective strength, but the most important thing is to focus on ourselves and what we need to do on the field.

-How much pressure does Portugal have to finish as group winners, or do you already feel at ease having secured qualification?

- We are not at ease; we always want to do better. We see this game as very important. Pressure will always exist. We want to finish first, and that is our main objective for the next match.

- Pedro, you've done a lot to reach this level in your career, but what do you think you still need to do to improve or achieve full success as a footballer?

- To achieve success, you have to improve in all aspects. I want to continue evolving; I'm still young, I'm 26, so I have a long way to go. I want to improve in all areas of my game, and that's what I'll continue to do.

- With Scotland, Neymar came onto the field in another game, and the crowd in the stadium celebrated his World Cup entry almost more than a goal. What does it mean to have a World Cup with Neymar, and what impact has he had on your journey?

- Neymar is a player who greatly influenced my generation with his joy and what he does on the field. The fact that he came on and was celebrated in that way is proof of that. He deserves it, for everything he's been through. He greatly marked my childhood due to his way of playing and experiencing football; it's something that always stayed with me.

- Pedro, you were at last year's Club World Cup and won it with Chelsea, facing South American teams like Flamengo and Fluminense. What experience do you bring from that to the duel against Colombia?

- The game against Flamengo, for example, was very difficult; at the time, it had been the most complicated game we faced due to the intensity, the way they played, and how they experienced the match. Also because of the atmosphere, as the Brazilians were in the majority in the stadium. The atmosphere in the game against Colombia will be similar, as will the intensity and the experience of the game, and that's what we need to be prepared for.

- What was the biggest challenge you faced this week, not only on the field but also off it? How did you deal with it?

- I'll be honest: I'm a very calm person and I don't pay much attention to things happening outside. Sometimes I heard some people talking, but I had a completely calm week. I took the opportunity to be with my girlfriend, who is in Miami, and with friends. My week was practically that: spending time with family, with teammates, and enjoying those moments to switch off. When I went onto the field, I worked to be better and more prepared. Thank God we managed to win the previous game, and I hope we can win the next one too.

- Against DR Congo, the team faced some difficulties due to the opponent's tactical block. Against Colombia, which has a similar pattern, and given the opinion that Portugal is dependent on Cristiano Ronaldo, what do the forwards do to ensure the team isn't so dependent if he is neutralized?

- Cristiano is indeed very important to us, but I think the term "dependent" is too strong. We know that if we create the conditions for him to finish, the probability of winning is very high. Of course, we create opportunities for every player, and that's what we work for. We have our pattern and our way of playing. I don't think there's a dependency on him, but rather a great trust in him.