President describes Nations League victory over Spain as ‘delicious’
"It was very, very difficult, very exciting and very sweet," said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after Portugal beat Spain on penalties in Munich.
The president of Portugal on Sunday described Portugal’s victory over Spain as “delicious” and said he would receive the national team at the Belém Palace in the coming days, following their victory in the Nations League.
Speaking to RTP3 in Munich, where he watched the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain at the stadium with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa confessed that he “suffered immensely” during the match and considered the victory “very sweet”.
“It was very, very difficult, very exciting and very sweet,” he said.
Before heading to the dressing room with Luís Montenegro to greet the players, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he would thank them “on behalf of Portugal”, considering that winning the Nations League is a “great joy” for the country.
“It is a great joy for Portugal to see the team spirit, courage, determination, maturity, experience and resilience against a very young, fast, difficult and stubborn team… It was very sweet. We overcame all that and we are, in fact, the best in the world,” he said.
Asked if he intends to receive the national team at the Belém Palace in the coming days, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa replied that he would do so “as soon as possible”, but stressed that it could not be on Monday or Tuesday, as he will be in Lagos to take part in the 10 June celebrations.
“But as soon as possible I will receive the team, and I will also receive the under-17s,” who won the European Football Championship, he stressed.
The Portuguese national team won the Nations League for the second time on Sunday, beating Spain 5-3 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw at the end of regulation time and extra time.
In the penalty shootout, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Nuno Mendes and Rúben Neves converted their kicks, while on the Spanish side, Morata allowed Diogo Costa to save his shot.
During the 90 minutes, Spain went into the break leading 2-1, taking the lead in the 21st minute through Zubimendi and regaining the lead with a goal from Oyarzabal in the 45th minute, responding to Nuno Mendes’ equaliser in the 26th minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo equalised again in the 61st minute, with a goal that levelled the score in regular time and sent this fourth edition of the Nations League into extra time and penalties, which ended in favour of Portugal, repeating their feat in 2019 when they won the first edition of the competition.