Portugal exits Euro 2024 with their heads held high after the penalty shootout with France. At the end of the match Roberto Martinez he analyses the moment and the match, speaking into the microphone of Sports TV: “Sad moment, because the players fought. They did everything we worked for. They showed the values of Portuguese football. It’s sad, the fans deserved to be happy, but we lost with our heads held high. We gave everything, we showed the values of Portuguese football, we had a lot of personality to take possession, we defended well, with a direct game, the difference was that we didn’t score”.
The best game from a collective point of view of its era?
“Without a doubt. After the game the dressing room is full of emotions, full of examples. What Pepe, the captain, did… Our boys will grow a lot after this experience. The personality, the chances, how we created danger in the final third of the pitch… It was a performance that makes us look to the future with great pride.”
On Pepe’s huge performance.
“Pepe was an example. Seeing what he did you are amazed, as a coach you look at the reaction and he was a warrior, an example and it is certain that the young players, like Gonçalo Inácio, António Silva, have accumulated experience with him to improve for the future. What Pepe did today and in the tournament was exemplary.”