In the 1/16 final of the 2026 World Cup, Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro was present in Toronto to cheer for the national team and gave an interview after the match.

Regarding this match,

"We started better and created several scoring opportunities, but then Croatia also played a great game. Although I haven't watched all the matches, this might be the most exciting game of the World Cup. Both sides showed passion, high quality, and fighting spirit, and our team showed great cohesion. What's more, today, we were actually fighting with the strength of 'one more person' – that is Jota, who left us a year ago, and he is also part of this group and this journey. Now, all we need to do is continue to stand firm in our beliefs and overcome obstacles one by one. This resilience, mutual help, and team spirit are the cornerstones of success. Our opponents were also very strong, which was fully demonstrated today."

After the match, the Portuguese Prime Minister went to the team's locker room to congratulate the players.

"I extended my well-deserved congratulations to them, praising their effort and self-transcendence. This match was not easy, especially in the final stages. This reminded me of what I told them in Lisbon before: in such a cup competition, one must learn to withstand pressure and stand up again in difficult moments. We did experience some moments where we couldn't fully play our best, but our team is excellent, and the players are extremely talented, united, and hardworking, with a strong sense of responsibility. Their strong desire to represent Portugal always impresses me, including Jota. This desire to stand here for all of us must be affirmed and praised."

In addition, the Portuguese Prime Minister also talked about Ronaldo's impact on the team.

"I think that so far, in every match he has played in a Portuguese jersey, Cristiano has been an absolutely outstanding athlete. This is his sixth World Cup, but he still approaches every game with the same desire and commitment. Today, he was eventually substituted and continued to accompany the team on the sidelines. A football player never likes to be substituted even when tired, but this (substitution) was the right choice, and he absolutely understands that. He showed a spirit of mutual help. We will continue to maintain our faith and uphold the name of Portugal."

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com