Hungary’s national football team coach, Marco Rossi, made it clear on Monday what he expects from his squad. He believes a draw against Portugal on Tuesday would be a great result. Still, he promised his team would fight hard for a surprise win in their World Cup 2026 qualifying match.
“Our job is to make things tough for the Portuguese,” Rossi explained at a press conference. The team held their training camp at the Globall Hotel in Telki, about 30 kilometers from Budapest. He added, “If we play smart and get a bit lucky, we could end up with a good outcome. We aim to win, but a tie wouldn’t be bad at all.”
The 60-year-old Italian coach understands the challenge. He noted the big gap in talent between the two teams. He spoke highly of Portugal’s strong roster, pointing out their depth. “Portugal can swap almost any of their 23 players into the starting lineup without missing a beat, especially with games every three days,” Rossi said. “We don’t have that kind of deep squad. We need to pick players based on who’s in the best shape and fitness.”
Despite the difference in quality, Rossi, who has led Hungary since 2018, hopes facing a top team like Portugal will fire up his players even more. “If a football player gets to play against a team with world-class stars, including a legend like Cristiano Ronaldo, and still can’t find ideal motivation, then maybe they shouldn’t be a footballer,” he stated firmly.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain and star midfielder, fully backed his coach’s words at the same press conference. The 24-year-old, who plays his club football for Liverpool in England, urged his teammates to give their “body and soul” against Portugal.
“I expect everyone to commit fully so we can leave the field with our heads held high,” Szoboszlai said. “Our goal, our dream, is to qualify for the World Cup or at least earn a playoff spot. To do that, we have to fight and run as much as we possibly can, because the Portuguese team is ahead of us in terms of pure quality.”
The World Cup 2026 qualifier between Hungary and Portugal is the second matchday in Group F. It kicks off at 8:45 PM local time (7:45 PM Lisbon time) at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Erik Lambrechts, a Belgian referee, will be in charge of the game.