Jorge Jesus: I'm glad the team trusts my tactical ideas, and what pleases me most about this game is winning.

Jorge Jesus acknowledged the recent progress shown by the Portuguese national team and also discussed the players' understanding of his tactical philosophy. Following Portugal's 4-2 victory over Denmark, Jesus did not claim complete control of the team, but rather focused on the players' acceptance and trust in the team's established tactical direction.  

Jorge Jesus said, "I now have a team that believes in my tactical philosophy, and what I'm most satisfied with in this game is undoubtedly the victory. Of course, as the games go by, I can feel the team's continuous growth more and more clearly. We will continue to look for areas for improvement through post-game analysis and bring those things back to the training ground. Once the team can implement the requirements from training into the game, their performance on both offense and defense will usually be further improved."  

"Denmark's strength is undeniable, especially their set pieces, which are very threatening and difficult to contain. However, we also did a very good job defending set pieces. To beat such an opponent 4-2 away from home is something I can hardly imagine many teams achieving in recent years. Today's Denmark is completely different from what it was a decade or so ago. They are a very capable team with high-quality football, technically gifted players, and very aggressive pressing. This is our overall plan for the next three matches, and now we need to shift our focus to the Estádio do Dragão."  

"The players trust me and are willing to accept my tactical ideas, and their excellent individual abilities allow the team to better implement these requirements. Ultimately, trust is the most crucial factor. If what everyone means by 'taking control of the team' is getting the players to trust the head coach and work together to execute the philosophy, then I think that's exactly what's happening now. They are willing to stand with me and work towards the same goal, and the current situation is satisfactory."  

When asked about how the team has maintained focus recently, Jorge Jesus said: "As soon as the game is over, we start preparing for the next game at Estádio do Dragão. My focus has always been on the current game, and it will be the same for the next one. We will only think about the game at Estádio do Dragão. As for what happens after that, we'll think about that after that game."  

"Focusing on the game isn't difficult for me; the real challenge is not knowing how to lead the players in training. If you can't even determine the direction of training, that's the most troublesome thing. Apart from that, I don't feel there's anything particularly difficult."  

Image source: Internet/Portugal National Team Official Website