Renato Veiga recalls Nations League triumph a year on: "I get goosebumps"

Renato Veiga addressed the media on Monday at the Cidade do Futebol. As the countdown to the 2026 World Cup continues, the Villarreal center-back reflected on Portugal's Nations League triumph exactly one year ago, admitting he cherishes that memory.

"When they told me I'd be doing the press conference today, I was happy because it's been a year since our first title with the national team. I get goosebumps talking about it. I'm thrilled to be preparing for a World Cup a year after that great day. Differences? In terms of playing, I think I played a lot, which is what I was looking for. Everything that comes with the game is very important. Rotation is crucial for someone my age; it was important for my growth and to get the consistency I lacked over the past two years. I had six months at Juve and six months at Chelsea, and now I've completed a full season, which was very important," he stated during the press conference.

"Well, it happened naturally; I try to do my best every day. They welcomed me very well, which made things easier. It's easy to gel with the group; these are people who, regardless of being great players, are very approachable and humble. That facilitates integration and allows us to express ourselves in the best way on the field."

"Our locker room is our biggest asset. The atmosphere within the national team is excellent; they are great people, and that greatly facilitates how naturally we express ourselves on the field, where, regardless of who plays, everyone always gives their maximum. There's always strong competition; Portugal is one of the best national teams in the world. The competition is the upcoming matches, the three in the World Cup."

"Nowadays, there are more and more games, but we try to prepare ourselves in the best way for it. There's no lack of motivation to compete in the World Cup, and we won't run out of energy. We have great ambition and will give our all for Portugal."

"That's up to the coach. These are preparation games; we are getting ready for what's to come, the next three matches. These games serve to experiment and work on concepts we've been developing at the Cidade do Futebol. Above all, we are preparing for the upcoming games."