Nélson Semedo: "Regardless of the result, Cape Verde triumphed"

With Portugal's full attention now on their upcoming World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash against Spain, Nélson Semedo took a moment to acknowledge Cape Verde's sensational campaign. The island nation was only eliminated in extra time by reigning champions Argentina (2-3), and Semedo offered his congratulations for their historic run.

"I followed the tournament, and I believe that, regardless of yesterday's result, Cape Verde triumphed. They had a fantastic campaign, demonstrating that, much like Portugal, they are a small country with immense quality. The belief they showed throughout this tournament was incredible. I'm delighted they represented us in such a manner, and I want to congratulate them and thank them for everything," began the Portuguese full-back, who has Cape Verdean roots. He also downplayed any demands for a starting spot in Martínez's lineup.

"I feel like I'm knocking on the door, ready to help Portugal in any way I can. Whether it's for 10 minutes, half an hour, or 90 minutes, the important thing is for all of us to give our best so Portugal can win, continue in this competition, and go as far as possible. We have a large squad with a lot of quality, and everyone is prepared to play. We saw Gonçalo [Ramos] recently; he played for a short time but gave his all and was crucial in helping Portugal. The focus is on the collective; we all need to be ready to contribute to Portugal's success," he explained, having come on as a substitute in three of the four matches.

When asked about Yamal, the Fenerbahçe defender preferred to focus on the team but praised the 18-year-old talent. "Yamal is a great player with enormous potential, but if we only focus on him, we'll have problems. They have players who start the game or are on the bench who can make a difference; we know that, so we need to be alert to all their players. We have to focus on ourselves, while still showing great respect for Spain. We know what we need to do, have clear ideas when we step onto the pitch, and give our all. Only then will it be possible to overcome a team like Spain, and I have great confidence that we can do it," he explained, before being asked by A BOLA who would win a race... Nélson Semedo or Nuno Mendes, who had been in the mixed zone before him.

"Nuno would win, for sure. He's very fast, he's young too, and he has an endless supply of energy. Often, after a game, I wonder how he manages to maintain that physical performance. He has shown in matches how physically powerful he is, and I think we need to capitalize on that, take advantage of it, because he's a huge asset for us," he affirmed.