Carolina Tristan, Nair Pina and Francisca Castro live “dream” in the selection

Athree young players spoke to journalists in Lagos, before the match for Northern Ireland, where Portugal will play the first play-off game on Friday at 19:00. The second hand is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:15 pm at Portimão Municipal Stadium.

Carolina Tristan, Nair Pina and Francisca Castro did not hide that the call of the picker Francisco Neto was “a dream” made reality.

“ We were all three very well received and the team's environment helps a lot. They are all very affectionate and funny with us,” said Carolina Tristan, 19 years old, who can become one of the newest debutantes ever in the selection.

At 17 years and 323 days, the Benfica average can join the now absent one for injury Kika Nazareth, who was 17 years old and 108 days almost debuted by the ‘quinas’ team in 2020.

Soon it is scheduled “a practice”, but the players want, for now, to “keep secret”: “We already know what we’re going to do,” said Carolina Tristan, adding that Tatiana Pinto is her “reference” in the selection.

“ It's been nice being with her. It's good to see you in this perhaps more personal environment. We know that we cannot come with high expectations: we are doing our work, our journey in selection and we are giving our best training the training ", he considered.

For 18-year-old Francisca Castro and the defense of Sporting de Braga, being in the ‘AA’ selection is being “a unique experience”.

“ People here are really cool, they took us in really good, even in practice. I’m enjoying it a lot,” he said.

Although “not thinking much” about the premiere and being “focused on training”, the player of the worms pointed the recipe to win the play-off in front of Northern Ireland: “look in the eye, go with everything and make our game”.

In this call, Francisca Castro has the company of Nair Pina, also of Sporting Braga, who did not hide how good these days have been.

“ It's being a dream. You're being amazing. The hard work we do at the club, which we did at the World Cup [sub-20] gives us these opportunities and now is to enjoy and continue working. I never expected this call, but I think the work is done continuously during all these years”, said the 19-year-old goalkeeper.

The arrival at the eighth finals of the Under-20 World Cup in September, when it was eliminated by champion Spain, was one of the catalysts for the premieres of the three young people in the call.

“Work at the World Cup was difficult, in fact. The work here [in the selection ‘AA’] is very demanding too, requires a lot of focus and now we have a very clear goal that is to win these two games [front to Northern Ireland],” said Nair Pina.

Portugal travels later this afternoon to Northern Ireland, where it plays on Friday, before returning to play-off's second hand in Portimão.

If you surpass Northern Ireland, Portugal will face the winner of the fight between Croatia and Iceland, in the final round, on 26 November and 5 December.

The World Cup2027 will be held in Brazil between June 24 and July 25.

Portugal, which was present in the last three Europeans, in 2017, 2022 and 2025, seeks to repeat the unprecedented presence in World Championships, after the debut in 2023, which ended in the group stage, but with a victory against Vietnam and a draw before the United States.