We're making history. Now it's about continuing to make history.
Em Riga, onde a história do basquetebol português se escreve jogo a jogo, a seleção nacional chega aos oitavos de final do EuroBasket 2025 com a consciência de quem já ultrapassou o esperado — e a determinação de quem ainda não terminou. Diante da Alemanha, terceira classificada do mundo, Portugal não busca apenas competir, mas continuar a redefinir os limites do que lhe é possível. Daniel Relvão, voz serena de um grupo coeso, resume o espírito da equipa: fazer o trabalho, manter a intensidade, e deixar o jogo decidir.
- Portugal chega aos oitavos de final como azarão declarado, enfrentando uma Alemanha com qualidade em todas as posições e o terceiro lugar no ranking mundial da FIBA.
- A vitória sobre a Estónia por 68-65 foi conquistada com sangue-frio, mas também com a sombra da expulsão de Neemias Queta no terceiro período — o melhor jogador da equipa fora do jogo no momento mais crítico.
- Relvão emergiu da adversidade com dois pontos discretos mas uma presença decisiva — blocos, ressaltos em tráfego, a âncora defensiva que a equipa precisava quando mais importava.
- Os erros de bola — as perdas desnecessárias que têm custado caro na fase de grupos — são identificados como o principal inimigo interno que Portugal terá de vencer antes de vencer a Alemanha.
- O sábado às 15h15 em Riga não é apenas um jogo: é mais uma página numa história que a seleção portuguesa já está a escrever, com ou sem vitória.
A seleção portuguesa de basquetebol está nos oitavos de final do EuroBasket 2025 e prepara-se para defrontar a Alemanha, terceira classificada do ranking mundial FIBA. Daniel Relvão, poste do Benfica, falou na sexta-feira após o treino no Centro Olímpico de Desportos de Riga com a clareza de quem conhece bem o adversário e não subestima o desafio.
A mensagem foi direta: a Alemanha é forte em todas as posições, joga com ritmo elevado e não oferece espaços. Portugal terá de executar o seu sistema com disciplina durante quarenta minutos completos e, sobretudo, reduzir as perdas de bola que têm marcado negativamente a fase de grupos. "Temos de fazer o nosso trabalho, defensiva e ofensivamente, trazer a mesma intensidade que mostrámos noutros jogos, e ver o que acontece", disse Relvão, num tom nem desafiante nem resignado — apenas lúcido.
A passagem à fase a eliminar foi selada na quarta-feira com uma vitória sofrida sobre a Estónia por 68-65. O jogo ficou marcado pela expulsão de Neemias Queta, poste dos Boston Celtics e campeão da NBA, após o segundo falta técnica no terceiro período. Relvão assumiu um papel mais exigente, contribuindo com apenas dois pontos mas com um bloco e um ressalto decisivo entre dois adversários. Mais do que os números, ficou a imagem de uma equipa que soube reagir coletivamente à perda do seu melhor jogador.
Aos 29 anos e com 43 internacionalizações, Relvão fará o seu 44.º jogo pela seleção no sábado. Reconhece que Portugal já fez história ao chegar a esta fase, mas deixa claro que a ambição não parou aí. "Sim, já é uma participação positiva. Estamos a fazer história. Agora é continuar a fazê-la, mostrar o nosso valor, e ver o que sai deste jogo."
O encontro está marcado para as 15h15 locais — meio-dia nos Açores — na Xiaomi Arena. A Alemanha parte como favorita. Mas Portugal já provou que pode competir a este nível, e a mensagem de Relvão é simples: manter o foco, manter a união, e não ser o próprio adversário.
Portugal's basketball team has made it through to the knockout stage of EuroBasket 2025, and now faces one of the tournament's heaviest hitters. Daniel Relvão, the Benfica center, sat down after practice at the Olympic Sports Center in Riga on Friday to talk about what comes next: a Saturday matchup against Germany, the third-ranked team in the world according to FIBA's standings.
Relvão's message was straightforward. Portugal knows what it's up against—a team with skilled players at every position, guards and big men alike, a squad that runs the floor hard and doesn't give much away. The Portuguese will need to execute their own system with discipline, stay locked in for all forty minutes, and most critically, cut down the careless turnovers that have plagued them through the group stage. "We have to do our job, defensively and offensively, bring the same intensity we've shown in other games, and see what happens," he said. The tone was neither defiant nor resigned—just clear-eyed about the task.
Portugal earned its place in the round of sixteen by beating Estonia 68-65 on Wednesday in their final group game, a narrow victory that came with complications. Neemias Queta, the Boston Celtics center and NBA champion, picked up his second technical foul midway through the third quarter and was ejected. Relvão had to shift into a larger role, playing the kind of physical, anchoring defense that doesn't always show up in the box score. He scored just two points but made his presence felt—a blocked shot, a crucial rebound in traffic between two Estonian defenders. When asked how he felt stepping into that expanded role, he said it went well. More importantly, he emphasized that the team came together in Queta's absence, understanding that when one of your best players goes down, everyone else has to tighten up and work harder.
At twenty-nine years old and standing two meters tall, Relvão will play his forty-fourth game for Portugal's national team on Saturday. He was careful to note that even if the team loses to Germany, the tournament has already been a success—Portugal has already made history just by reaching this stage. But he made clear that the work isn't finished, that the squad is still in Riga with something to prove. "Yes, it will always be a positive showing," he said. "We're making history. Now it's about continuing to make history, showing what we're worth, and seeing what comes out of this game."
The match is set for Saturday at 3:15 p.m. local time—noon in the Azores—at the Xiaomi Arena. Germany will be favored. But Portugal has already shown it can compete at this level, and Relvão's message to his teammates is clear: stay sharp, stay together, and don't beat yourself.
Citas Notables
We have to do our job, defensively and offensively, bring the same intensity we've shown in other games, and see what happens.— Daniel Relvão
When Queta is not on the court, we have to come together, stay unified, and do our best work.— Daniel Relvão
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
When Queta got ejected against Estonia, did you feel the weight of that moment, or was it just another job to do?
It was both. You feel it because he's one of your best players, and suddenly the team has to recalibrate. But you also know that's when everyone has to step up. We came together. That's what I mean about being coheisive—it's not just words.
Germany is ranked third in the world. What does that ranking actually mean when you're standing across from them on the court?
It means they have no weaknesses. From the point guard to the center, they can hurt you. They run, they're organized, they don't give you easy possessions. We have to be perfect in what we do, or they'll punish us.
You mentioned fewer mistakes. How many turnovers are we talking about—what's the actual problem?
In the group stage, we had moments where we weren't careful enough with the ball. Against a team like Germany, that's a luxury you can't afford. One careless pass becomes a fast break, becomes a loss.
But you've already made history just by being here. Does that take pressure off, or does it add pressure?
It takes nothing off. History is what you make in the next game. We can say we did well, but we want to keep going, keep showing what we're capable of. That's the real story.
What do you tell yourself before a game like this?
That we have to be ourselves—our intensity, our focus, our work. We can't try to be Germany. We have to be Portugal and do it better than we did before.