Portugal national team midfielder Joao Neves said that Portugal's success in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup was more important than his hat trick against Armenia in the final match of Group F of the 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers on Sunday (16/11).
"For me, the team's interests come before the individual. But I'm still very happy to have scored my first, second, and third goals for Portugal," Neves said, as quoted on the official website of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) on Monday.
The Paris Saint-Germain player scored a hat trick in the convincing victory over Armenia. It was Neves' first three goals for the Portuguese national team.
The 21-year-old footballer emphasized that all of Portugal's goals were the result of teamwork and effort. The 9-1 victory over Armenia marked the second time Portugal had scored nine goals in a single match, after previously thrashing Luxembourg 9-0 in the same qualifier.
"It's all thanks to the hard work of everyone on the team," said Neves.
His teammate Bruno Fernandes, who also scored three goals in the match against Armenia, also emphasized that Portugal's goal is to win against Armenia and advance to the 2026 World Cup.
Personal records for Bruno are merely supporting factors in achieving shared targets.
"I know I can contribute with goals and assists , but for the team, my role is to help the strikers and build the game. We always want to win. Today, we were efficient and managed to win and qualify for the World Cup," he said.