"Vitinha is an excellent player. He knows how to control the ball, defend the game with the ball, and take the game where we need it to go."
"What surprised me wasn't what he can bring to the national team, but how quickly he understood the group. He integrated very well into the locker room."
"He's a very intelligent player who creates space with his final movements, and it's very good for us to have a player like him."
Portugal played a 0-0 draw against Mexico, with Vitinha absent in the first half. He came on as a substitute and had significant impact, recording 74 touches and completing 67 passes. Coach Roberto Martinez praised Portugal's performance without Vitinha, noting their expected goals of 0.63 compared to Mexico's 0.12. Paulinho, who replaced Cristiano Ronaldo, impressed Martinez with his quick integration into the team despite not taking a shot during the match. Martinez acknowledged the challenges of competing with established players like Ronaldo and Goncalo Ramos.
Read at Soccer News
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