João Neves, the 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, spoke to beIN SPORTS after the 1-1 draw between Portugal and DR Congo in the World Cup. Having scored in his first match of the tournament, the Portuguese player focused on the frustrating result and the need for collective improvement.
Neves: “It’s my first World Cup”
“Of course I’m happy, it’s my first World Cup, my first match in this competition. But for me, the most important thing, as I always say, is the team’s performance, the way we played. It was a little underwhelming considering the result, but I think we did a good job, but there are things to improve, as always.”
Neves: “We’ll improve”
“I think we started well, with intensity and pace. But in the end, what was missing was the win.” We’re going to improve, we’re going to analyze this match, look at the details. I’m happy with my first goal, but sad with the result. Now, we have to lift our heads and react.
Neves: “It’s important to know that we played better than the opponent.”
Do you have positive energy for the future?
Yes, it’s important to know that we played better than the opponent, but we didn’t get the three points, and that’s the most important thing. The group is united, there are still two matches left, and we’re going to play to our strengths. That’s the most important thing.
