Proença: "World Cup fell far short of our expectations"

Pedro Proença addressed journalists upon the National Team's arrival in Portugal this Wednesday morning, following their elimination from the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 16, after a 0-1 defeat to Spain.

"I want to thank our coach, who is at the end of his cycle. A new cycle of victories, which we eagerly anticipate, is about to begin. This World Cup fell far short of our expectations. It's up to us to respond as quickly as possible. We provided the technical staff with all the necessary conditions," stated the President of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).

Proença also discussed the selection of the new national coach: "The coach's profile must be someone who knows Portuguese football well, and who identifies with the FPF's and the national team's winning dynamic. That's the profile we're looking for, and we will find a solution. There are several possibilities; I even called the Cidade do Futebol today to personally handle this dossier. I hope we'll have concrete news by the end of the week. We have a Nations League ahead where winning is our benchmark. We also have a European Championship and a World Cup in Portugal. Our ambition is immense."

When questioned about the recent refereeing controversy, Proença emphasized: "We are concerned with what is happening, but at this moment, the priority is also to meet the ambitions of the Senior National Team."