Colombia drew 0-0 with Portugal in their final FIFA World Cup group stage match, and defender Arias was interviewed in the mixed zone after the game.

Hello Santiago. You were on the bench for the first two matches and started today. Do you think this was Colombia's best performance of the three group stage matches?

I think every match is important. The first, second, and third matches, including the ones coming up, are all equally important. Once we're on the pitch, the first thing is to do our best and play our own style of football. This team has a very clear game plan, and I think everyone can see that.

Of course, matches come one after another, and as we progress further, it will definitely get harder. What's most important is that we keep finding our rhythm, and the team keeps improving. Now our focus is on something very important: the knockout stage ahead. We hope to keep advancing; that's always been our goal, and it's very clear.

Can you tell us what specific instructions coach Lorenzo gave you? Today you were very solid in defense, always pressing when Portugal attacked, and you put in a lot of physical effort. What specific tactical positioning did the coach have for you? And congratulations on your performance today.

Thank you very much. I think in this team, every player who takes the pitch has their own responsibilities and duties. Of course, we also always respect our teammates in the same position. Muñoz and I are different types of players. Muñoz has his strengths, and I have my own characteristics. In some matches, at certain stages, the team might need to be more solid defensively, holding our shape first, and then joining in attacks when opportunities arise. But I believe every player in our team is capable of playing and executing the tactical setup we prepared before the match.

Personally, I'm very happy and proud. Being able to participate in my third FIFA World Cup and getting playing time is very special for me. I always say that whether I play or not, I'll support the national team. Thank God, and thank you to the fans who always support us; they always give us strength and make us feel like we're playing at home.

You just mentioned this is your third FIFA World Cup. What feelings has this World Cup brought you so far? Including this group of teammates, this team, and do you think we can advance further?

I think we have the capability. Of course, we always maintain a humble attitude. As we always say, one match at a time—we have to take it step by step. We've worked hard to minimize mistakes because we know that the further we go in the competition, the harder and more complex it becomes. This team is very strong right now, and at the same time, we stay humble. Everyone hopes to achieve important objectives.

No matter what opponent we face, we won't underestimate them. Whoever the opponent is, we'll take them seriously, try our best to play our football, and fight to win. Once we enter the knockout stage, the difficulty will definitely be greater. Every small detail, every mistake, could result in elimination. So now, more than ever, we need to stay focused and put all our energy into the next match.

You're one of the more experienced players on the team. How can the team stay grounded now? We know Colombian fans are very passionate, and external expectations and noise can sometimes create pressure. What's the atmosphere like in the dressing room? How do you stay calm?

I think our mentality is already very clear: play one match at a time and keep improving ourselves. As I just said, we need to minimize mistakes, which will be very important going forward. The good thing is this team has both experienced players and young players. We experienced players will communicate more with the younger ones and tell them: this is just the beginning, this is a very valuable experience, and they should make the most of it.

Not everyone gets the chance to represent their country, especially on a stage like the FIFA World Cup. So we know our direction very clearly, and we know what we want. Of course, we must stay grounded. That's football; you can't underestimate any opponent, and every match must be taken seriously.

In the final group stage match, facing a strong team like Portugal, Colombia showed great maturity and composure. Next, they will face Ghana in the knockout round. How confident are you about advancing? Will this opponent be relatively easier?

It won't be easy at all, not at all. We're very aware of the strength of African teams. They have excellent physical conditioning, and many players compete for top clubs. But I still say, we're more focused on ourselves. We'll prepare and respond according to our game plan.

Not just us—I'm sure every team wants to keep advancing, wants to reach the final and win the championship. The key is that we must have goals, but also stay clear-headed. Both young and experienced players, we've proven that this team is like a big family. We know what we want and we know the path forward.

We reached the Copa América final previously, and there were some mistakes during that experience. But it's precisely these experiences that have allowed us to grow as a national team, as a team. So I think there are many strong teams, but ultimately it comes down to who makes fewer mistakes and who can convert chances into goals. That's football; nothing is predetermined.

Back to today's match—how did Colombia play such a near-perfect game? Some would say the ideal result would have been a 1-0 win, but today's 0-0 draw is equally valuable; both teams fought hard, and many believe Colombia should have won.

Sometimes, "deserving to win" doesn't always bring results. Football still requires fighting on the pitch, facing the opponent, and trying your best to win. Today we faced a world-class team, but we believe in ourselves and know we could threaten them. I think we started the match well and indeed created many chances and played offensively. Of course, we also know that playing this way comes with risk, and the opponent will also create threats.

Overall, I think the team performed well both defensively and offensively. This match is behind us now; we'll turn the page, review what went well, and also look at areas that need improvement. Most importantly, the team continues to develop, and confidence keeps growing.

We keep talking about external recognition and finishing top of the group as positive factors. But what areas still need improvement? For example, today there were many chances, but the finishing could have been better; the defense also had some fluctuations at certain stages, and the opponent created chances, like Camilo saving a shot from Fernandes. What's your take on these issues? How can the team keep improving and go further in this World Cup?

These issues mostly need to be analyzed by the coaching staff. As a player, of course, we know what we're doing well and what needs improvement. But I still want to emphasize that in such a difficult match, against a team capable of reaching the semifinal or even final, I prefer to focus first on what we did well.

We were able to threaten a team like that. Of course, they could also threaten us; that's the nature of competition. I believe we dared to compete today, dared to play our style, and stuck to our tactics. So I prefer to maintain these positive aspects. As for specific areas for improvement, the coaching staff will tell us later. For now, what's most important is to keep doing the good things and keep moving forward.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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