The Portuguese team narrowly advanced to the quarter-finals of the European Championship after a tense penalty shootout victory over Slovenia. After the match, Portugal’s manager Roberto Martínez praised goalkeeper Diogo Costa’s remarkable display.
In his post-match interview, Martínez criticized the poor pitch conditions at the Frankfurt Arena, stating, “I think we had many chances in 90 minutes and played well. But when you don’t score first, games become difficult. The bad grass affected our ball control, and with so much possession, it was hard for us.”
Discussing Costa, who saved three penalties to secure the win, Martínez was effusive in his praise: “I believe Portugal’s secret is Diogo Costa, maybe the best-kept secret in European football, which has now been revealed. Costa today was on a different level, his one-on-one and penalty saves were incredible, and the whole team is proud of him!”
Portugal’s star player Cristiano Ronaldo remains goalless in this Euro campaign, even missing a penalty in extra time. Martínez assessed Ronaldo’s performance: “Ronaldo is a great player with a big personality; he was decisive in giving us the lead in the shootout, paving the way for us. It’s a victory for the dressing room. He’s our captain and shows that in life, when things get tough, we mustn’t lose heart.”
Not dwelling on the upcoming quarter-final against France, Martínez invited Portuguese fans to savor the triumph. He said, “I haven’t thought about the quarter-final against France. For now, we want to celebrate this passionate victory with our fans. We’ve grown through this Euro, and that moment of winning the shootout was a boost to our mental strength. The team’s passion carried us through, and today we saw a focused, confident, and powerful squad. We deserved this win, and the fans can celebrate with pride.”