“I’m crushed,” Ana Capeta, tears streaming down her face, told FIFA seconds after Portugal’s elimination from the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™. “I’m struggling to get the words out. I’m so emotional. I can’t stop thinking about how close we were to the knockout phase.”
As Navegadoras were, indeed, millimetres away from one of the most jaw-dropping accomplishments in the competition’s 32-year history. USA have never finished off the podium at a Women’s World Cup. Had Capeta’s shot not come back off the post in the 91st minute at Eden Park, Portugal would be packing suitcases for Melbourne and USA would be packing theirs for San Francisco.
“For a split-second, it was a dream,” said Capeta. “I thought it was in. I thought I had put Portugal in the last 16 of the World Cup.
“Do you know what that would have meant to us? Do you know what that would have meant to all Portuguese people? For the growth of women’s football in Portugal? I think we deserved it.
“I’m devastated, it’s left a bitter taste in my mouth, but more than anything I’m really, really proud. I’m really proud of what we did in these three games. USA have won the last two World Cups. You saw how we played against them today.
“I’m gutted it’s over, but this World Cup has been an indescribable experience. We’ve all gone down in history in Portugal. We want to be back in four years.”
“I’m extremely sad and extremely proud,” said Kika Nazareth, crying. “We’re a little team. They’re the four-time world champions. We gave it to them. We deserved more. We didn’t have luck on our side.
“I don’t have the words to explain how devastated I am. I can’t tell you for how long I’ll be crying for. But we have to be proud. Very proud. I’m only 20 years old. To be at the World Cup, in this group of players, was the best experience of my life.”
Ana Borges echoed her team-mates’ sentiments: “We’ve very proud of what we did against the winners of the last two World Cups. We had chances, we deserved more. The shot against the post… it’s crushing. What bad luck. We wanted to be the last 16 so badly.
“But we’ve managed to get a lot of people interested in Portuguese women’s football. We’re so proud of this. People didn’t think we’d have a chance against the United States. We proved that we belong here. We’re devastated to be out, but to represent your country at a World Cup is beyond incredible.”
Jessica Silva is determined to experience it again in four years’ time: “It was our first World Cup. We were making history just by being here, but we weren’t satisfied with that.
“We did incredible things here. Nobody gave us a chance against the United States. We all believed we could get the win, and I think we deserved it. We obviously deserved it. We created more [than them]. We hit the post.
“That’s football. I’m very sad, very disappointed, very emotional. But we’ll work as hard as possible to be back here in four years.
“I’ll tell you something: nobody dreamed about what the World Cup would be like more than me. It was even better than I could have ever imagined. It’s been an indescribable experience. I’m extremely sad it’s over, but I go home extremely proud of everything we’ve achieved.”