“THE Our qualification is a good omen, but we will play different games at the European Championships than we have had so far. There is a lot of work ahead. The difficulty is great, but Portugal has performed well. We want to prepare to get there and advance to the knockout stage. If we achieve it, the objective has already been stated from the first day, which is to try to bring the trophy”, highlighted the 40-year-old coach, in an interview with the Lusa agency.
Qualified for the 11th time, and fourth consecutively, for the main competition of ‘hopes’ teams, whose 26th edition will be co-organized by Albania and Serbia between June 16th and July 3rd, 2027, Portugal, finalist defeated in 1994, 2015 and 2021, already has three private matches defined.
The Portuguese will face two-time champions England, holder of four continental titles, on November 13, in Bristol, and host Norway four days later in the Algarve, in the last duels played in 2026, which precede the trip to Spain in March next year, one of the two record holders for success in the division, with the same five as Italy.
“We want to face this type of difficulty now, because the level has to increase and the support we have to have is much greater. These opponents have the level of European competitions and the five main Leagues, but we also look at our team and there are several at that level”, admitted LuÃs Freire, wanting to “compete to win” in their debut in the final stages with Portugal.
The ‘quinas’ team will face another opponent in March, but will only reveal it after the draw for the European Championship, which will take place on November 26th, in Belgrade, and has the Portuguese as top seeds.
“These claims about us being candidates or favorites don’t concern me. The first objective is guaranteed: presence in the top 16. Portugal is in Pot 1 with Spain and England (in addition to Germany). We are going to prepare for a draw that will always be tough. There is nothing to analyze beforehand. These individuals show that we want that preparation”, he said.
The national team repeats its presence in 1994, 2002, 2004, 2006, as hosts, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023 and 2025 in the under-21 European Championship, which will define the last four of the 16 participants in the November play-offs and will award three places for access to the Los Olympic Games. Angeles2028.
“If we achieve a single objective, we will be present at the Olympic Games by force. We have to reach the decisions and, then, be one of the teams that goes to the Games and fights for the title. We are not a regular presence, but we want to return as soon as possible”, assessed LuÃs Freire, with a view to the fifth Portuguese campaign in the event, after Amsterdam 1928, Atlanta 1996, with a historic fourth place, Athens 2004 and Rio de Janeiro 2016.
On the way to the final stage, Portugal finished qualifying Group B in first place, the only one with direct access, with 25 points, resulting from eight wins, one draw and one defeat, in a group that included the Czech Republic, on the way to the play-offs, Scotland, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan and Gibraltar.
“We have several creative players and we tried to enhance the best characteristics of our players. This resulted in the offensive flow that we saw with the results, some of which were high, and the performances, as we created many opportunities”, he outlined, with the Portuguese having the second best attack (35 goals scored) and one of the two least leaked defenses (two conceded).
Satisfied with Portugal’s “energy, passion and commitment”, LuÃs Freire highlights the collective reaction to the draw in the Czech Republic (0-0), champions in 2002, and the defeat in Bulgaria (2-1), with a turnaround towards the end.
“We always had two moments in mind: the offensive and being very ready to react to the loss of the ball. From now on, we will want opponents that allow us to gain more strength and be an increasingly complete team, because the level and demands will increase and we have to go to another level. It will be necessary to work on situations that have been little worked on until now”, concluded Rui Jorge’s successor after 15 years.
