Portugal’s National Association of Football Coaches has lauded the nation’s Under-17 team and coach Bino Maçães for reaching the World Cup final in Qatar, praising the achievement as a testament to the country’s renowned football development system.
The association’s board congratulated the U-17 national team, Maçães, and the technical staff for their work during the tournament. They specifically highlighted the team’s qualification on Tuesday as a “historic achievement.”
This accomplishment, the ANTF stated, “honors Portuguese football and its extraordinary school of training while serving as an international reference.” The statement pointed to the country’s reputation for preparation, knowledge, and ability to develop projects across diverse competitive contexts.
The ANTF, led by Henrique Calisto, emphasized that the team’s success “inspires all coaches and athletes” who contribute daily to the sport’s growth at various levels.
Portugal will face Austria in the final on Thursday. The association confirmed its support, stating, “The ANTF and Portugal will be cheering for the success of this team, its players, and coaches.”
The statement concluded with a rallying cry: “Go Portugal, towards another great worldwide success!”