The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, “very warmly” congratulated this Wednesday the “unprecedented step in Portuguese sport” taken by the Portugal women’s football team in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup.
“The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, sends a very warm congratulations to the national women’s team, which has just reached the final stage of the World Cup, which is an unprecedented step in Portuguese sport,” the head of state said.
A note sent to the Lusa agency said that “the president, as with the men’s teams, will receive him in Belém” without yet setting a date for that reception at his official residence in Lisbon.
Later, in statements to reporters at Picadeiro Real in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that the players would arrive in Portugal “on Friday”, but “at what time is still unknown.”
“Therefore, either on Friday, or on Saturday, I already agreed with the President of the Federation [Portuguesa de Futebol, Fernando Gomes] get them,” he said.
Marcelo reiterated that the qualification of the women’s soccer team for the World Cup was “unprecedented”.
“This is a very important moment for equality between women and men, including in football. And we will all be there in spirit, and those who can personally, either in Australia or New Zealand, after the selection, ”he said.
The Portugal women’s football team qualified for the 2023 World Cup this Wednesday by beating Cameroon 2-1 in the Group A final of the Intercontinental Play-off in Hamilton, New Zealand.
A penalty kick scored by Carole Costa in the 90+4th minute sealed an unprecedented qualification for the Portuguese after Cameroon’s Adjara Nchut annulled Portugal’s first goal in the 89th minute, scored by Diana Gomez in the 22nd minute.
Francisco Neto’s men join in Group E with runners-up the Netherlands (July 23), Vietnam (27) and US Trophy winners (August 1), from July 20 to September 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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