Martínez: We Shouldn't Think About Winning the World Cup, and Here Are the Reasons for the Stumble

Portuguese national team coach Roberto Martínez spoke in a press statement following the 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup for both teams.

The coach said: "We entered the match very well, scoring the goal slightly changed the way we reached the penalty area. We started just looking to retain the ball and didn’t reach the final third as required. This gave the Democratic Republic of Congo a chance to reorganize and start anew."

He added: "Congo's goal before the end of the first half came from a set piece, and we know they are good at that, and it's part of the World Cup. Now we have to evaluate and analyze, but I was impressed with the spirit. We continued to play... the second half was more intense, and we reached the final third more, and this is part of the development process in the World Cup. It's better to have this performance in the group stage. The spirit was very good, and the individual aspects we need to develop were present in the match."

He continued: "The hardest thing is to start the match well with a clear collective idea. We did that until we scored the goal. The goal should have been a moment to control the match more, but the opposite happened. The fear of losing the lead made us play in areas that allowed Congo to reorganize and launch counterattacks. Luck also plays a role. Conceding a goal before the end of the first half makes the match more difficult, but the players' reaction was very positive and distinctive. I said that success in the World Cup requires focusing on each match. Before the first goal, we were playing well, then we entered an excessive desire to win and lost depth and space, but this happens. Now we have to prepare for the second match."

About the substitutions: "It's important to change the attack pattern. The Congo team was defensively organized and won many encounters. The entry of Francisco Conceição helped find different spaces, as did Semedo, and it's important to have a player like Rafael Leão and Gonçalo Ramos in the area. We are not tied to one formation but to 26 players, and this is an important strength element. Today we leave with self-criticism and need to develop in this tournament."

He added about the impact of the result on the team: "We should not think about winning the World Cup directly, but about implementing what we want on the field. The goal is to collect the most points in the group stage, this is part of a tournament like the World Cup. The ranking does not give an advantage. Congo played a big match as if it were a final for them, and sometimes we were afraid of losing the lead. We must improve quickly."

About Cristiano Ronaldo leaving for the dressing room, he said: "This is the first match in the tournament, and we do not yet have the correct habits. The post-match system in the World Cup is different, and there are many media commitments, and we will adjust it."

About the reasons for the stumble, he said: "We started very well, but the goal changed everything. We tried to retain the ball in areas that allowed Congo to organize their pressure and counterattacks. We did not succeed in exploiting speed or playing behind the defense. But I am satisfied with the reaction and the spirit of the players until the end. This is the nature of World Cup matches. We could have scored the second goal and everything would have changed. We are not satisfied with the result, and we have to be honest with ourselves and develop."

He continued regarding not fielding João Félix: "Everything that wasn't done is an option. We have Bruno and Bernardo in this position. We have to evaluate what we need to improve our play."

About the decline in performance after the goal: "It's simple... this is the World Cup, and it’s a tournament that needs growth and development. Congo played a strong match, and we need to learn from this encounter."

He concluded about the absence of Rúben Dias in the scene of Congo's goal: "Football is a game of mistakes. The goal came from a set piece, and that can happen. There is a lot of pressure in the World Cup, and it can lead to a loss of focus, and this is part of the group stage."