Queiroz: “We have just one thought: to stay in this tournament”
Portugal coach predicts great spectacle ahead of Iberian showdown
 Carlos Queiroz has given an upbeat pre-match press conference ahead of the Portugal-Spain clash, insisting that he and his players are far from satisfied with what they have achieved so far in the World Cup.
The Portugal coach said his team were prepared not only be beat their Iberian neighbours, but to become “the best Portugal team of all time”.
“It’s going to be a great game of football, with technique, speed, great creativity, imagination, and superb practitioners. I predict a great spectacle,” began Queiroz.
Think fast, act fast
“I’m going to set up the team to win from the first to the last minute. In these games there’s only way to play: going forward. We have to run risks. At the same time we have to be pragmatic, realistic, aware of our virtues and the virtues of our opponent, and like I said, make sure we are always one step ahead of Spain. We have to think faster and execute faster than them.
“The players are very well prepared. For my players the idea that we have accomplished our mission does not exist. We think exactly the opposite. We are not at all satisfied with what we have done up to now.
“We have a great game to play against one of the three top favourites to win the World Cup. We are going to transform our humility and respect into ambition and aggressiveness without limits, because we have only one thing in mind – to stay in this tournament.
Dress rehearsal
“After playing against Brazil, who also have an excellent passing game and almost unsurpassable technique, I think we can say that the game against Brazil was a training match for the game against Spain.
“We were in the “group of death” we played against the number one ranked team in the world, and now we’re going to play against the second. We’ll take on anybody! Reputations and statistics don’t win games. We have to try and be the best Portugal of all time.”
Yellow peril
Should Portugal make progress, one concern for Queiroz is that seven players are on a yellow card, and will therefore miss the quarter-final should they pick up a second booking tonight. However, the coach insists this aspect will have no influence on the match.
“No, I’m not worried at all about that. We have to play with everything we’ve got in all aspects to make the next round. Afterwards, in the next game, we’ll think about any limitations that we may have because of this.”
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but still, let us all be proud of what we have achieved so far. everyone wrote us off in qualifying. nobody gave us a chance when we were grouped with brazil and cote'dvoire. so even if get eliminated today, we should still be proud what our boys achieved.
Eduardo; Ricardo Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, Bruno Alves, Fábio Coentrão; Pepe, Raul Meireles, Tiago; Simão, Hugo Almeida e Cristiano Ronaldo.
I'm happy with the team apart from Ricardo Costa, I would of taken either Miguel or Ferreira over him but hopefully he will perform tonight.
I think we can do this, Queiroz is finally showing some PASSION and our team must play with this same passion to win tonight.
FORCA
Eduardo
Fabio Coentrao
Bruno Alves
Ricardo Carvalho
Ricardo Costa
Pepe
Raul Meireles
Tiago
Simao
Hugo Almeida
Cristiano Ronaldo
Why in the world is Ricardo Costa playing again??????
but still, let us all be proud of what we have achieved so far. everyone wrote us off in qualifying. nobody gave us a chance when we were grouped with brazil and cote'dvoire. so even if get eliminated today, we should still be proud what our boys achieved.
Paulo Ferreira
Bruno Alves
Ricardo Carvalho
Fabio Coentrao
Raul Meireles
Tiago
Pepe
Cristiano Ronaldo
Liedson
Simao
I would have preferred Miguel to Ferreira and Almeida to Liedson.
Forca Portugal !!!!!!!
Forca Portugal!!!
Plus the quarter final would be against the winner of Paraguay and Japan, not as threatening as today's match so if some don't make it we can cover for them and rest them against the bigger match against the winner of Argentina and Germany.