Portugal will travel to Uzbekistan on Tuesday to defend its futsal world title. Ahead of their departure for Asia, scheduled for October 7, national coach Jorge Braz gave an interview to ABOLA, touching on various topics, including preparation, objectives for the tournament, and his squad selection.
Objectives
“We approach the goal of winning back-to-back world championships with confidence and ambition, while acknowledging the challenges, and ‘We did it once, why not again?’ The main aim is to make it to the end of the competition. We need to surpass the quarter-finals, reach the semi-finals, and then take it step by step.”
Group stage opponents
“We know Morocco well. It’s clear to everyone that they are a strong contender, given their quality and recent achievements. On a day when Portugal, Brazil, or Argentina are not at their best, Morocco could win. Tajikistan surprised many in the Asian Cup, finishing fourth and just missing out on a bronze medal after penalties. Panama, the CONCACAF champion, has improved significantly with highly skilled players and better organization. While this group might not be well-known, it’s very tough.”
Winless preparation games
“I honestly didn’t even remember we hadn’t won our last three games because I was so focused on the process. We played seven preparation matches and faced some good challenges. In the final game against Paraguay, we didn’t win, but I was happy with how the preparation ended, which was key for our growth. Now, it’s time for the next phase.”
Choice of two goalkeepers
“We initially had three goalkeepers, but decided to take two. Edu featured more during qualifying, André had an excellent season, and Bernardo is extremely talented. I joked that I would trust any of them, but I had to choose, and I’m taking Edu and André, who have been with us since qualifying.”
Zicky Té as the only pivot
“In the past, we’ve won with just one player in certain roles. The focus shouldn’t be on that, but on the variety of strategies we can use. While Zicky is our only pivot, we have others who can perform this role well. This group of 14 players is a family, and they will face many challenges in this demanding competition. With these 14, I’m confident, and I’m not worried about specific strategic options because we have great flexibility within the team.”