"No one can question Cristiano Ronaldo's importance to the National Team"

Cédric Soares, a European champion with Portugal in 2016, is now experiencing the 2026 World Cup as a fan from Brazil, where he plays for São Paulo. In an interview with Marca, the full-back, born in Germany in 1991, previewed the upcoming Round of 16 clash against Spain, admitting he would have preferred the encounter to happen later in the tournament.

Despite the distance, Cédric has been following the national team's journey and downplays any perceived difficulties. "A World Cup is never easy. The group stage is always complicated, and of course, everything gets tougher if you don't win the first game," he stated, emphasizing that "there are no easy games" in major competitions. "The theoretically smaller teams become stronger and always make you suffer," he added.

The player recalled that Portugal advanced from the group stage and subsequently overcame Croatia, which he considers "another very strong team." Regarding the clash with Spain, he described it as "a precious duel, a game to savor." For Cédric, balance is the dominant theme in modern football: "Nowadays, all national teams are much more competitive. Furthermore, when it's a World Cup or a European Championship, the motivation is different. It's an incredible feeling. All teams grow, unite more, run more, give an extra effort, and that's why games become even more difficult."

When asked about the high expectations surrounding what many consider to be the best generation in Portuguese football history, featuring names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Vitinha, João Neves, and Nuno Mendes, Cédric acknowledged that the demands increase. "In Latin countries, that demand is usually higher. When expectations are high, the pressure also increases," he admitted. However, he views this phenomenon positively: "This expectation exists because Portugal has been growing in recent years. Little by little, they've joined that very small group of national teams that can aspire to win major titles."

The full-back highlighted the Nations League and Euro 2016 triumphs as proof of the Seleção's evolution. "All of that has allowed us to say today that Portugal also fights to be among the best teams in the world," he argued, adding that this recognition extends to the players. "Now, Portuguese players also have that recognition," he noted.

Cédric believes the game against Croatia exemplified the team's ability to overcome adversity. "In the first half, Portugal dominated the match more. In the second, Croatia came out very well and had 15 to 20 very good minutes," he analyzed, highlighting Diogo Costa's crucial saves. The Portuguese goal changed the course of events, and despite the late struggle, victory was achieved. "It was a very beautiful game," he summarized.

Regarding Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom he shared the national team dressing room, Cédric was emphatic about his importance, regardless of criticism or praise. "He is a player with immense experience. He's incredible. No one can question his quality or his importance to the national team. For me, without a doubt, he remains a very important player for the group and for this entire generation of Portuguese players. It's a shame that there are still those who doubt him, because he continues to prove that he is an incredible talent," he asserted.

"The equalizer [scored by Ronaldo] was crucial. At that moment, Portugal was practically out of the 2026 World Cup, and that goal put the team back in contention. Ronaldo knows perfectly well what it means to play under that kind of pressure. In fact, I think he enjoys it. Whenever he finds himself in those situations, he reacts in the best possible way. That pressure also forces him to demand more from himself, to work with even more enthusiasm every day. There's always the doubt if he's still as good as before, and he answers on the field by proving he's still an incredible player," he added.

The strength of the collective, a theme frequently addressed by Roberto Martínez, is seen as crucial. The introduction of players like Gonçalo Ramos against Croatia illustrates the need for all 26 squad members to be ready to compete. This situation is compared to Euro 2016, where, after a less-than-stellar start to the tournament and external criticism, the group's unity was fundamental in providing an "immediate response" and regaining fan support.

The experience of starting as a substitute and ending as a starter, as happened in Euro 2016, serves as a lesson. "I didn't play in the first few matches, but when my opportunity came, I was prepared, and it went well for me. There's no secret." The key, according to the former Sporting player, is to always train at maximum intensity and maintain a positive attitude, supporting teammates who are playing: "When the team wins, we all win."

One of the major attractions of the upcoming match will be the renewed duel between Nuno Mendes and Lamine Yamal.

"It depends a lot on the type of full-back you are. Nuno Mendes, for example, really enjoys individual duels. He likes to know who his opponent is and face them head-on. He also has extraordinary physical attributes: he's very fast, very strong, and also very powerful when he joins the attack. Lamine, on the other hand, thinks the game very quickly. Technically, he's perhaps the best player of his generation. He does incredible things and is still very young. It will certainly be a great duel," Cédric concluded.