Yegishe Melikyan: “We play for Armenia. There is always pressure” — press conference before the match vs Portugal

On November 16, Porto will host the final match of Group F in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where Armenia’s national team will face one of the main favorites — Portugal. Although Yegishe Melikyan’s team is no longer competing for qualification, the interest in the game is enormous: Portugal desperately needs three points, while Armenia aims to finish the campaign with dignity and assess its progress.

This press conference is key to understanding the mindset with which the Armenian team approaches the match. The coach spoke in detail about pressure, squad issues, respect for the opponent, and expectations for young players.

Yegishe Melikyan’s press conference before Portugal vs Armenia

— Tomorrow your team will feel no pressure, as you are no longer fighting for anything in the standings. What goals are you setting for this match?
— You say there is no pressure, but both the players and I have a huge responsibility — we play for Armenia. When there is responsibility, there is pressure. Portugal is a serious opponent, and in this match we can gain invaluable experience for our young team. The opponent will apply great pressure, and this is an excellent opportunity to see how the players handle it and what else we can improve in our game.

For me it will be an interesting match. I want to see what has changed since the first game against Portugal, which was my first match. We will be able to check what progress we have made in these three months.

We understand that Portugal desperately needs three points, but we also need a win. So we will fight. In any case, we will try to take as much benefit from this match as possible.

— In the previous match Portugal lost to Ireland, and Cristiano Ronaldo received a red card and will not play against Armenia. Does this make your task easier?
— The Portugal–Ireland match showed that anything is possible in football. But realistically, the gap between Armenia and Portugal is too big. As for Ronaldo, Portugal has such immense resources that the player replacing him will also be top-level. This does not make our task any easier. We must be ready for a very difficult match.

— In Yerevan Armenia treated Portugal with too much respect, the players were afraid to go into challenges. How did you work on this?
— Yes, we talked about it. I can’t say exactly what I did, but I was very angry. I also respect Portugal very much, but when you enter the pitch you must forget the opponent’s authority and fight for victory. In the first match this was the reason for the loss. I don’t want to see it again — I want to see a fight for the win.

— What major changes have occurred in the team over these three months under your leadership?
— Yes, I tried to experiment. Unfortunately, I have to do it in official matches. Tomorrow I will also have to experiment. You will see changes — I am not afraid to make mistakes; it can be useful.

Overall, there have been many changes in the team atmosphere: the players fight better, discipline and dedication to the country and the national team have improved. I worked a lot on patriotism — to the point that the players came out with the Armenian flag painted under their eyes.

— What can you say about Bandikyan? He can play in different positions. Where do you see him in the national team?
— It is still too early to say anything specific. In spring we will try him in matches and see. For now I am studying him and his abilities.

— What about Gevorg Harutyunyan, who has not played the last two matches?
— He is a very good player, one of the leaders of the national team. After the unsuccessful game against Hungary I made a change, and Stepan Mkrtchyan justified it and played excellently. This is normal competition in the squad, and that is good. It is also a signal to the other defenders that after one bad game they may find themselves on the bench. In any case, Gevorg is very important for us.

Portugal – Armenia: what Martinez said about the squad, Ronaldo and the final match of the 2026 World Cup qualifying

Portugal vs Armenia: Artur Serobyan Speaks Ahead of the Decisive 2026 World Cup Qualifier