Sweden beat Portugal 3-2 on Tuesday evening in Madeira, and Leeds United defender Pontus Jansson came on with the score 2-0 to Portugal. The Euro 2016 winners had approached the game as something of a celebration for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal rested many of their first team, but Ronaldo started the match on his native island and quickly put his country into the lead. With the half-time score 2-0 to the hosts, Sweden brought on Jansson.
The Leeds United defender didn’t push his team to scoring three goals, but he did help them sure up at the back, which in turn aided attacks. After the match, Jansson was clearly thrilled, and the Leeds fan favourite made it clear he wasn’t greatly impressed by Portugal.
Fotbollskanlen quote Jansson as saying: “It is clear that Portugal won the European Championship, so on paper they are the best then. It is a stable team defensively, now maybe they did not put full focus on the defence today… we could have scored more goals. But according to me Portugal is not the best in Europe.”
When told the score was 3-0 with him on the pitch, the Leeds player said: “Yes, so then I am among the best in Europe, haha. No, but it was a good second half and then maybe Portugal relaxed a little. Since Ronaldo went off it died a little.”
