Roberto Martinez says his Portugal players need to be like Georgia at Euro 2024.
Euro 2016 winners Portugal were shocked by a team ranked 74thth world in Gelsenkirchen in the final of Group F on Wednesday night.
Martinez made eight changes for the game, with his side all but guaranteed to finish top, but saw their 12-game winning streak from Qatar 2022 come to an end with the underdogs, who have only qualified for the Nations League.
“It’s a defeat,” Martinez told uefa.com. “We started with a low intensity, we quickly agreed with what Georgia needed.
“We weren’t very clear in our head about passing at the end and in front of the goals, and their goalkeeper did amazingly. We tried to score but we couldn’t, and that made Georgia believe more. We deserved to win.”
Group F ✅
Portugal, Türkiye and Georgia pass! 👏#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/z6pYkaXqMz
– UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 26, 2024
Martinez said his team was unlucky at times, but said Georgia’s hunger proved to be the difference.
“We tried to score a goal and sometimes we were unlucky. I don’t think it was about the tactics or the players today, I think it was about the strength and resilience that Georgia showed.
“We need to play at high speed, high intensity. Georgia was playing to be a part of history and we were no match for them. They scored an early goal and then defended deeply and beat us at halftime.”
Slovenia are next in Frankfurt on Monday night (8pm BST) and Martinez warned: “There are no easy games; today was a perfect example of that.
“If we win, it’s not because the game is easy. We had a friendly with Slovenia but it won’t be the same on Sunday. They are a national team that plays like a team: very defensive, two very influential strikers and we will have to prepare well.
“A loss today will prepare our team better from a mental point of view.”
Expect Portugal’s assistant to be a little more like the one who took the field against Georgia, though.
“It was the last game in the group stage,” said Martinez. “It was a day to give other players a chance, the players we need to see how they are doing and who can help us.
“By preparing for the last 16, I mean individual preparation; today we wanted to rotate, give other players some minutes and make the team ready to play the last 16.”
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