On Friday, Ruben Dias attended a press conference with the Portuguese national team to discuss Portugal's performance against DR Congo. In the second part of his remarks (divided into three parts due to length), he addressed several topics.
On sitting out the first match
"Yes, ultimately I made the decision I had to make, and I admit it was quite difficult, but it was still the right one—of that I have no doubt. I love this job and have always wanted to help my team in any way I can."
"On this special occasion, I want to do everything I can to help our country. Of course, it's not easy, but I hope that going forward I can continue to help in whatever way I can."
On advising Tomás Araújo and Renato Veiga before the match
"Because we're in the training camp with a shared goal, communication happens naturally—not just before this match, but since training camp started. Our mission is to remain confident and convey that to everyone we face."
"I won't emphasize specific words, but I told them to be themselves and not hesitate to do their job. Even if that means saying harsh words to a teammate with status and experience, they shouldn't feel ashamed—that's part of doing their job efficiently."
On why Portugal's intensity dropped after scoring early
"I've answered this two or three times already. In my view, it's mainly related to positioning—a small detail that can determine the outcome. After scoring early, we knew the match would be difficult, and perhaps this led us to over-possess the ball without being efficient enough."
"Things difficult to explain always happen in football. Every transition creates new variables that aren't always controllable. We certainly missed opportunities to create threats and pressure our opponents, which is why the atmosphere at the end became awkward. Of course, we know what adjustments we need to make to prevent this happening again."
On criticism of players spending only 3 hours on the beach in 96 hours post-match
"I think this shouldn't even be a topic. Much responsibility lies with you media, because readers lack proper information due to incorrect reporting. This is completely normal and even beneficial when done properly. The head coach knew the media would react this way but acted fearlessly—I respect that."
Related links:
[External criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo? Ruben: Each of us is to blame for not being able to win]
[Ruben: Each of us, including Cristiano Ronaldo, has adapted to media pressure on the field]