Portuguese athletes justify trips to the beach and defend preparation amid criticism before the World Cup

An apparently trivial leisure activity generated considerable debate in Portugal, precisely in the countdown to the start of the World Cup. With its base established in Palm Beach Gardens, a coastal city in Florida, United States, the Portuguese team took advantage of last weekend’s high temperatures to enjoy the seaside.

However, the decision to go to the beach sparked a series of questions in Portugal, gaining prominence in local media coverage. During recent press conferences, athletes from the national team were approached about the issue and promptly defended both the group’s actions and the established planning. Matheus Nunes, midfielder for Manchester City, England, was the first to speak.

“Our visits to the beach were part of the work schedule aimed at our climate adaptation,” explained Matheus Nunes. “I, for example, work all year round in Manchester, where the heat is much less intense, representing a significant change. Therefore, going to the beach in the morning was already planned to get us used to the heat, sunlight and humidity. We are not dedicating more time to leisure on the beach than to training,” said the right-back in his statement on Monday.

The following day, Tuesday, the discussion was resumed with Bruno Fernandes, a Manchester United player, also from England. The midfielder once again responded to questions about the situation and expressed an outburst, showing his discomfort with the nature of the criticism.

“Matheus had already addressed this point, but I want to reinforce: it was something previously established and is part of our acclimatization process,” stated Bruno Fernandes. “If we weren’t at the beach, we would have to remain restricted to hotel rooms, which would possibly not be ideal for our physical condition, considering the limited space to carry out mobility and movement exercises within the hotel. Furthermore, these are valuable opportunities to strengthen group interaction, creating positive memories and a lighter environment, with games and moments of relaxation that are crucial.”

The player continued, highlighting the public perception: “We are used to any of our actions being interpreted in different ways, sometimes positive, sometimes negative. My message to our people is that we are doing our best to arrive at the game in our best shape and represent the country with dignity. Rest assured that all our activities, including visits to the beach, are carried out with the benefit of the physical condition of all athletes in mind. This includes adequate rest, the ideal adjustment of schedules and the fundamental adaptation to the sun, according to Matheus mentioned. In Manchester, where we play, sun exposure is limited, which makes this adaptation even more vital.”

The Portugal team will play their first match in Group K of the World Cup this Wednesday, facing the Democratic Republic of Congo. The game is scheduled for 2pm (Brasília time) and will take place in Houston, in the United States. Colombia and Uzbekistan complete the teams that form the bracket.