The renowned Italian coach Antonio Conte gave high praise to the performance of Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentine national team, during the JCH-2026 tournament.
According to Conte, Messi once again demonstrated a level higher than expected. The coach noted that the player arrived at the tournament in excellent physical condition and once again showed his professionalism and desire to win.
Conte emphasized that despite his age—39 years old—Messi remains a decisive player for his team. He stated that one of Leo's main strengths is his football intelligence. Messi is capable of understanding what is happening on the field before others, which allows him to always take the most suitable position.
The new coach of the Portuguese national team, Jorge Jesus, noted that Cristiano Ronaldo's physical condition is at a high level and believes that no large-scale changes are needed in the squad.
Jesus reported that out of the 26 footballers invited to the national team, 12 had previously worked with him. He emphasized that he knows all these players well and considers each of them a strong footballer, noting the large number of talents in the team and his belief in their potential.
Speaking about last season, Jesus mentioned that Al-Nassr played 50 matches, in which Cristiano featured in 31. The coach admitted that he substituted him 16 times and assured that there was never any misunderstanding between them, neither as coach and player nor on any other issues.
Jesus stated that he does not intend to part ways with any player unless they are injured. He also noted that new footballers will emerge over the next four years, so he plans to pay special attention to youth football development.
When asked about the need to restructure the team, he replied that there is no need for it yet. He specified that only six players in the squad are over 30 years old, and two of them are goalkeepers. Jesus refuted the idea that the team is old, pointing out that the average age of the footballers is 28, which is the best period for an athlete.
As a reminder, the Portuguese national team under Jorge Jesus will play its first match on September 24 against Wales. Previously, the Portuguese concluded their participation in the 2026 World Cup by losing to Spain 0-1 in the round of 16.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic commented on the defeat of the US national team by the Belgian team with a score of 1:4 in the JCH-2026 round of 16. He noted that the USA played against a stronger team, and that Belgium also looked significantly stronger in the documents.
In Ibrahimovic's opinion, this was the worst game for the USA in the tournament, but he emphasized that the team took to the field against a serious opponent. Despite the USA failing to advance to the first stage, Ibrahimovic believes they can be proud of themselves.
He added that the team did not disappoint in other matches of the tournament. Although today's result was poor, overall it turned out to be a good tournament for them, as the team demonstrated its maximum potential. Ibrahimovic concluded that perhaps, with luck, they could have advanced to the next round, but today's game was a learning lesson for them.
Roberto Martinez commented on the possibility of comparing Lamine Yamal with Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that they are completely different footballers.
Martinez noted that Lamine Yamal, being a very young player, has demonstrated the ability to overcome pressure and create many dangerous moments during the game.
At the same time, Martinez emphasized that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the iconic figures in football history. He is capable of adapting to various positions and can become a match-deciding player.
It was also mentioned that the national teams of Portugal and Spain will meet today, July 6th, in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
