Tomás Araújo takes responsibility: "It shouldn't happen..."

Stepping in for the injured Rúben Dias, Tomás Araújo took responsibility for the goal conceded by Portugal against DR Congo, which resulted in a 1-1 draw in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup.

"There was a lot of sideways and backward passing. We couldn't create much danger. The second half changed a bit, we created some chances, but it wasn't enough. And then we conceded a goal from a set-piece, which shouldn't happen," the center-back began in the mixed zone.

"The player got in behind me there. I need to be better, and also communicate with them. We'll work on that..." he admitted.

"We had a lot of possession, but we couldn't create anything against their low block and five-man defense. We needed to circulate the ball better, to play between the lines," the defender further emphasized regarding the national team's ineffective ball possession.

Despite the draw in the first game, Tomás Araújo remains confident: "It's just the beginning, there's still a long way to go. We have a lot of confidence in ourselves. Trust us, and it will go well," said the Benfica player, who experienced some physical issues in the second half. "It was in my hamstring, but in principle, everything is fine," he clarified.