Victory for Diogo Jota, areas for improvement, and the Modric reference: everything Vitinha said

— Could you elaborate on the physical condition of the Portuguese national team? In the last match, there was a sense that the team wasn't at 100% physically. Are you struggling with fitness issues? Tomorrow, it's also going to be very hot here in Toronto…

— Without a doubt, the last game was played in significant heat and humidity. But it's something I genuinely don't like to talk about or use as an excuse. It was the same for both teams. In truth, it was a less-than-ideal performance. Those of us on the field feel that; we feel that lack of control that was evident in the Colombia game. And there's a strong desire to improve, as we know that now the margin for error is minimal, almost non-existent. So, we will be prepared to face Croatia, win, and advance to the next stage.

— What message would you like to convey now, on the eve of this World Cup's first knockout match? Portuguese fans are still a bit skeptical about the national team's capabilities, especially after the somewhat underwhelming performance against Colombia…

— I completely understand the doubts, and the criticisms. We welcome them with open arms. It's normal, but we don't want to have a target on our backs. And we also know when we're playing poorly and when we're playing well. What I can tell them, first, is thank you for all the support they've given us so far. And then, I ask them once again to support us, to believe in us. And to know that everyone who steps onto that field, no one wants to win more than we do. That is, we are out there for ourselves, for our families, for our country. There's no one who wants to perform better than us. There's no one who wants to advance more than us. And that's what we're going to try to convey on the field. But they must believe in us and support us until the end.

— July 3rd marks one year since the passing of Diogo Jota. Is that an additional factor driving your desire to win?

— We have no shortage of motivations to win this game and advance to the next stage. On top of that, there's this factor, this special day. We have every motivation and more to win tomorrow, to want to win tomorrow. For us, as I said, for our families, for Diogo Jota too, for the entire country, for all of Portugal. So, we will give everything we have to beat Croatia tomorrow.

— Croatia is historically known for having one of the most well-drilled and technical midfields in the world, led by Luka Modric. As Vitinha is one of Portugal's key midfield figures, where do you think the key will lie in controlling the pace of the game and winning that battle in the middle of the park?

— It's a great midfield, and a great team too. Luka Modric is a benchmark for me, I've said it many times. But I think, above all, the improvement has to be collective. We have many aspects we can improve. We know what they are and we will really try to correct them for the next game, because we know that will bring us much closer to victory. That's what we should focus on, and that's what we will focus on. Because then, it's normal to have poor performances. That is, it wouldn't be typical, it wouldn't be what we want, it wouldn't be normal. But when what should be done collectively doesn't happen, no individual brilliance can withstand it. Clearly, individual performances suffer. And when we are very strong collectively, individual talents always shine through. So, I think that's where we should concentrate, on the collective aspect, on various defensive and non-defensive dynamics. And try to improve them for this game, as I said, where there's a minimal margin of error or none at all. And we will be prepared for tomorrow, both individually and collectively, and vice-versa. So, I hope it's a consequence. That the collective is strong and that individual talents can be seen by everyone. And I also hope that individuals, by themselves, push each other and can make the collective even stronger. But without a doubt, I do expect an improvement, both from the team and…

— There are thousands upon thousands of Portuguese people, individuals of Portuguese descent living here, and they closed one of our biggest streets to see your bus. How do you react to that?

— It's always a great pleasure to see the presence of the Portuguese community supporting the team. When we arrive in a country, be it Canada, Switzerland, or Luxembourg, it's everywhere. The request for tomorrow is for them to support the team. It will be very important for the National Team. I can't say for how long the team will continue to play in Canada, but it truly means a lot to the team, and to the immigrants. To have the national team's presence, and tomorrow, we will do everything to make the fans happy.

— This will probably be Cristiano's last World Cup. At this moment, how much are you playing for him? Did you watch France-Sweden? Were you impressed by the French team, who could be an opponent in a later stage?

— We have many reasons to be motivated. Not just collectively, but also individually. The team wants to advance to the next stage, but also for the country, for family, for friends, for Diogo Jota, and, of course, for Cristiano too. To reach the round of 16, we have to play well, we'll have to improve in the game. And, certainly, if we can do that, we'll be closer to victory. Especially, we need to focus on the present, not look too far ahead. It's wrong to think about other teams; we're in a World Cup, all games are difficult. And tomorrow, Portugal has to be prepared for the challenge against Croatia.

— Tomorrow, you'll have a legend as a teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, and on the opposing side, another, Modric. How do you view that?

— It's a pleasure for me, a source of pride. I'd like to share a bit more with Luka Modric too; he seemed like a very good, very friendly individual. Beyond the players they are, they are also great people. And the truth is, one of them has to stop this journey tomorrow. I hope it's Luka Modric. It's very difficult to play in the World Cup; there are no easy teams to eliminate. It will be very difficult for everyone to advance. The last games weren't what we expected. But there's time to improve. I think we know what we can improve as a team, and that's what we're going to do. Because by doing that, we'll be better defensively and offensively. And we'll be much closer to moving on to the next stage.