Rúben Neves broke his silence and issued a warning: the intense heat and humidity of Miami will not hinder the ambition of the National Team against Colombia. Although he has yet to play a minute in this 2026 World Cup, the midfielder assured that the weather conditions will not be an excuse for Portugal, expressing confidence in the team’s preparation and the players’ resilience.
The Portuguese international addressed the upcoming match against Colombia, scheduled for the early hours of Sunday (00:30), during a visit to the mixed zone at the Miami Stadium. Neves emphasized: “We’ve been here long enough to get used to the climate and conditions. We have many players who are accustomed to this; I play in Saudi Arabia… I don’t think Colombia will have that advantage. We’ve worked hard and we’re going to fight to win the game, hoping that it doesn’t affect anyone.” This statement comes at a time when many analysts point to the weather as a potential advantage for the South Americans, but the midfielder completely downplays that narrative.
THE 2026 WORLD CUP LIVES ON WITH LEGO
The context could not be more relevant: Portugal is looking to secure first place in the group, in a World Cup marked by surprises and balance, while Colombia comes off solid performances and impressive defensive numbers. Neves, despite missing the first two games, emphasizes the importance of individual and collective preparation: “It’s a bit harder to suffer from the outside… But we have to always be prepared for when we are called. The coach has already said that in this Selection there are no substitutes, we have to be ready at any moment. And in this competition, we have already seen that everyone is important, that everyone will have their moment. And that’s what we work for every day.” The national coach has been betting on squad rotation, a strategy that increases the pressure on all players to be ready to enter the field at any time.
The importance of this meeting is heightened by the fight for the top of the group, but Neves refuses to do the math too soon. “We came focused on the first three games. We know that later on it doesn’t matter because we are focused on the group. We want to win every game, we always enter to win and we have the capacity for that. That’s what we are focused on. Tomorrow we will do everything to bring home the victory and then we will have time to think about the other teams.” This mentality proves crucial in a competition where the margin for error is minimal and any slip-up can jeopardize a team’s path as a title contender.
Regarding the global support that Portugal has received, Neves highlighted the massive presence of fans, even in countries like Bangladesh. “It’s very good to know that, to know we have fans all over the world. We feel like we are always at home and that’s amazing.” This wave of international support has been an extra motivational factor for the team, which is looking to replicate the historic achievement of 2016 and win the most coveted trophy in world football.
The midfielder does not hide his ambition to go far in the tournament, but he knows that the road is long and requires maximum concentration. “We need to stay focused in every game and take it one match at a time. First of all, we need to get through the group stage and then give our best in each game. We need a bit of luck because there are no champions without luck. But we need to seek that out. We want to fight for it,” emphasized Rúben Neves, reinforcing the group’s message of humility and hard work.
Regarding the atmosphere in the city, the Portuguese international took the opportunity to thank for the excellent conditions provided to the National Team, despite some unexpected storms. “It has been incredible for us. Thank you for all your work, we are really enjoying it. The conditions are perfect, apart from the storms, of course… But that is something we cannot control. We have great conditions.”
Looking at the opponent, Neves does not hide his respect for Colombia’s strength, but he maintains confidence in the Portuguese ability to create danger. “We are not thinking about losing the game, only about winning it. We know that Colombia is very strong. We watched their first two games and they were two great matches. We are preparing for the game in the best way possible so that we can come away with the victory.” On the Colombian defensive consistency, he added: “We have been working on that. We need to find the right spaces and we are very good at that. Our job is to create goal-scoring situations to win the game.”
Questioned about the different versions of the Portuguese team in this World Cup, Rúben Neves acknowledged fluctuations and promised improvements. “It is always difficult to play matches in these competitions. Fortunately, we have some examples of that in other teams. We always play to win. We know that in the first game we were not at our best level, and it took a lot of work to change that in the second game. That went very well; we did what we are used to doing, and now we need to try to evolve. I hope we have many games ahead, and if we perform better in each of them, we will go far.”
With a confident speech, Rúben Neves positions himself as one of the secret weapons of Roberto Martínez for the remainder of the group stage and potential knockout rounds. The National Team takes to the field determined to secure the group lead and nurture the dream of an unforgettable World Cup. The next step is clear: to defeat Colombia and show the world that Portugal is ready for all challenges, both on and off the pitch, regardless of the heat or humidity.
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