"Want Dias to be present in every game": Portugal's Nunes on Man City teammate's fitness ahead of WC opener
Florida, June 16
Ahead of his side's FIFA World Cup opener against DR Congo, Portugal star Matheus Nunes expressed hope that his Manchester City teammate Ruben Dias is fit for the all-important tournament opener scheduled for Wednesday.
Dias plays with Nunes for Manchester City and had been training separately from the squad for undisclosed reasons, triggering a worry among fans that he could give the Group K clash at Houston a miss.
Speaking ahead of the match as quoted by Reuters, Nunes said, "Obviously we want him (Dias) to be present in every game because he is very important. My partner from City -- we all know how important he is to this national team. He is one of the leaders, a very present voice in the dressing room and outside it as well. I hope he will be good for the first game and for the rest of the World Cup too."
Nunes also spoke on the media's criticism of Portugal's late arrival in the US for the tournament and the use of beach facilities at their training base in Florida, calling it a "part of the work plan" in order to acclimatise.
"We go to the beach in the mornings to adapt to the climate, because obviously. I spend the whole year playing in Manchester, and there is not as much sun or heat there, and it is a huge difference. I think it is perfectly normal. It should not give the impression that we are spending more time at the beach than training. In the morning, we go to the beach, and then in the afternoon we do our normal training every day," he said.
Nunes, a versatile player, offers his coach, Roberto Martinez, the flexibility to play him as a full-back or midfielder.
"I feel like both. I think I'm comfortable in both positions. I have now had almost a season and a half playing at fullback, so I am more than used to everything that the position involves," he said.
"I have also played left wing, and I have played in all sorts of positions that I feel I can do. I would say I am comfortable in both positions. I do not really have a preference at the moment," he added.
Nunes moved to Portugal from Brazil at the age of 12 and chose to represent the former after being called up by Brazil in 2021, saying that he owes more to Portugal because of the opportunity they gave him to be what he is today.
"I feel like I am both -- I am Portuguese, I am Brazilian. But when it comes to football, I owe much more to Portugal than to Brazil because Portugal gave me the opportunity to be who I am today. It was Portugal that opened the doors for me. Obviously, it was difficult, but I am very proud to have chosen Portugal, and I am very happy to play for Portugal," he signed off.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Nunes is such a versatile player - playing fullback, midfielder, even left wing! That's the kind of flexibility every team needs. And his loyalty to Portugal over Brazil shows real character. Respect.
A bit concerning that Dias is training separately. Could be a minor niggle or something more serious. Nunes is right to be cautious - in a tournament like this, you need your best players firing from match one.
I find the beach training controversy a bit silly. They're just adapting to the climate - it's hot and humid in Florida, totally different from Manchester. Let the players prepare properly instead of making a mountain out of a molehill. 😅
Portugal has so much depth now - even without Dias they have Pepe, Silva, Leao... but Dias is their rock. And Nunes' story of coming from Brazil and choosing Portugal is heartwarming. That's true gratitude.
Nunes is right - the criticism of their training methods is overblown. Teams always adapt to conditions. And his versatility is a massive asset. But I hope Dias is truly fit, not just being rushed back. That could backfire.
As a football fan, I'm excited to see this Portugal team
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