Vitinha addresses fans ahead of the match against Croatia

Portugal national team midfielder Vitinha spoke about the team's situation ahead of the decisive 2026 World Cup Round of 16 match against Croatia.

The player acknowledged the shortcomings in the match against Colombia and emphasized that there is absolutely no room for error at this stage of the playoffs.

No excuses for the hot weather

Vitinha said that the weather conditions in the last match caused difficulties for the players.

"The weather was very hot and humid in the last match, but I don't want to use that as an excuse," he said.

The midfielder noted that Portugal could not maintain enough ball possession in the match against Colombia.

"Those of us on the pitch felt that we could not maintain enough ball control," said Vitinha.

"There is absolutely no room for error"

The Portuguese player announced that the team is working on improving its game.

In the knockout stages, any mistake can be very costly. Therefore, the only goal for the Portuguese is to win and reach the quarterfinals.

"We understand well that there is no room for error at this stage. Our goal is to win and advance to the next round," he said.

How does he react to criticism?

Vitinha emphasized that he understands the criticism directed at the national team's performance and accepts it correctly.

"We are not looking for praise. We know well what our strengths are and what we need to work on," said the midfielder.

According to him, the players are aware of their shortcomings and are trying to eliminate them.

Fans asked for trust

Vitinha expressed his gratitude to the fans supporting the Portugal national team.

"We appreciate the support of the fans and ask them to continue believing in us," he said.

The player noted that every player on the team is doing their best for victory.

"We will prove it on the pitch"

Vitinha emphasized that the Portuguese players care more about the result than anyone else.

"No one wants to win more than we do. No one wants to show themselves better than we do. We will try to prove exactly that on the pitch," he said.

Portugal faces a Croatian test

The Portugal national team will face Croatia in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16.

The match will take place on the night of July 3. The winning team will advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.

The clash between Portugal, led by Ronaldo, and Croatia, led by Modrić, is expected to be one of the most interesting matches of the tournament.