After Colombia drew 0-0 with Portugal in their final group stage match of the FIFA World Cup, Ríos was interviewed in the mixed zone.

First, congratulations to Colombia for finishing top of the group. The team played excellently. In your view, what was missing for Colombia today to win the match? After all, opportunities like this should not be easily wasted in a match of this magnitude.

You asked what was missing from us; I think it was just a goal. We created many chances against their goal today, but ultimately failed to convert them, which is certainly disappointing because we did create scoring opportunities. Sometimes that's what we lack: when chances come, we must capitalize and score.

We also understand that in matches like this, the opposition is strong, the game is very tight, and chances are limited. So when opportunities do arrive, we must do our best to convert them into goals.

Like the Colombia fans present today, many people at home are very satisfied with the team's performance in the group stage. Do you feel the same way? With 7 points from three group matches and no goals conceded in the last two matches, is the team satisfied with this result?

Of course, we are very pleased. As you can see, our goal today was to win. From the first minute to the last, we fought to secure victory. We just couldn't win the match in the end; that's football. But what matters is that we topped the group and kept a clean sheet. As you mentioned, this certainly gives the team extra confidence.

However, humility is always the most important thing. We still need to keep working hard, address our own issues, and continue improving. I believe this attitude is what will help us go further in this tournament. All we need to do now is keep working hard.

You played a tremendous match today against one of the teams widely considered a candidate for the FIFA World Cup title, and you had every opportunity to win. Based on your current performance and result, can Colombia also be considered a title contender?

I think I'll leave that question to you to judge whether we are favorites. As I just said, we will stay humble and work diligently. We are a team that has reached this point step by step; no achievement has come easily.

We know this is the right path. Going forward, there will be very important matches for the national team and for each of us. So what we need to do is keep working hard and maintain our current attitude.

First, on behalf of the people of Venezuela, I would like to thank you and the entire Colombian national team for the support you showed to the earthquake-affected regions of Venezuela and for observing a moment of silence. My next question is: how will you approach your next match and the rest of your journey in the FIFA World Cup?

First, I would like to use this opportunity to express our support to the people of Venezuela and to everyone around the world who is going through difficult times. We must stand united, because we know what they are experiencing is not easy. Some things are beyond our control. In moments like these, I believe only God can truly help us. As long as we lean on Him, everything will gradually improve.

We will pray to God, hoping this ends soon and He helps the people of Venezuela. We stand with them and hope they know they are not alone. If they need help, they should seek it.

As the Colombian national team, we pray for you every day because we know you are going through very difficult times. As I just said, God will lead us through these problems. As for the upcoming matches, it's the same approach: we must keep working hard, move forward step by step, and stay humble. I believe that by continuing to do this, we can go further.

Every match at the FIFA World Cup is difficult. The opponent we face next may be physically different from Portugal. Portugal are more complex in terms of possession and control. But no matter who we face, as long as we are brave in our play and dare to show ourselves, we can create difficulties for our opponent. So we will continue to stick to our style of play and actively fight for victory. May God bless everyone.

Many Colombia fans today believe the team needs to take things one step at a time, and each 90 minutes in the knockout stage will be crucial. Colombia finished top of a very difficult group, and the general feeling is that the team's performance is getting better and better. How much hope should Colombia fans have? Do you also feel that the team is continuing to develop?

That's football for you. No matter which group we were placed in at this FIFA World Cup, it's still the World Cup. As you've seen, some very strong teams, even former world champions, have been eliminated; there are also teams experiencing the knockout stage for the first time. So this is the FIFA World Cup. What we need to do is stay humble and move forward with confidence.

As for the Colombian people, I want to say that hope and dreams must exist. We can't take away people's hope because it's this hope that keeps us motivated. I believe they have hope, and so do we. But this hope must be built on humility and a grounded attitude. We must take things step by step, continue correcting our mistakes, and at the same time consolidate what we've done well. But I won't ask you to abandon hope. We are Colombians, and this hope is precisely the strength that drives us forward.

First, congratulations to Colombia on an excellent match. Whose jersey did you ask for after the match? Can you tell us about that? Also, you previously played in Portugal. How did it feel facing a top European team like this today? Does this 0-0 draw show that Colombia can compete with them directly?

As you saw, it was a very intense match. Many players on our national team play abroad; many have adapted to European football or played there before. Everyone knows that playing in Europe is not easy; the environment, the pace of the game, and everything else is different there.

I believe we now have the ability to compete with these teams. We don't feel inferior to anyone. If we start a match thinking "we're not as good as our opponent," then the gap will only grow. Of course, I still want to emphasize that we must remain humble. Whether it's Portugal or another team, we approach them with the same mindset. We won't underestimate or overestimate our opponent.

This is also the direction we always strive for. Because if we only focus on the opponent, we might neglect our own problems, and that's where we really need to improve. As for the jersey, it was from my Benfica teammate, Tomás. I wish him all the best. He is a very good person, and I hope he continues to succeed in the future. I also thank him for exchanging jerseys with me. Thank you all, see you soon, and good night.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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