**[Chelsea](https://sportwitness.co.uk/category/premier-league/chelsea/) winger Pedro Neto may have left Portugal’s World Cup opener disappointed, but his family remain convinced the national team will quickly recover from the setback.**
Portuguese newspaper [**O Jogo**](https://ojogo.pt/) has spoken to Neto’s father, a former roller hockey player, who insists his hopes for Portugal’s campaign remain “intact” despite the draw against DR Congo.
He revealed that he spoke with his son after the match, as he always does following Portugal games.
_“He always calls me after matches. We could have been happier. Unfortunately we couldn’t win, but this is football.”_
According to Neto’s father, the Chelsea player was frustrated by the result but understands there is still a long way to go in the competition.
_“He was a little sad because he didn’t win, but he’s been in football for so many years now that he understands Portugal can only improve from here.”_
_“The first game is always difficult. Portugal started very well and played well in the first 20 minutes, but perhaps became a little comfortable.”_
Despite the disappointing result, he has no doubts about the quality of Roberto Martínez’s squad.
_“It’s a very strong national team. These are experienced players and they can turn things around easily.”_
**Family preparing to travel to United States**
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The confidence within the family is such that plans are already being made for the knockout stages.
Neto’s father revealed he will travel to the United States with his wife, their twin daughters – both volleyball players – and the boyfriend of one of them once Portugal move beyond the group phase.
Pedro Neto’s girlfriend is already with the Chelsea winger and has been supporting him in person since the beginning of the tournament.
For the family, watching him compete at a World Cup is an emotional experience.
_“It’s an enormous source of pride. This is the biggest competition for any footballer or athlete. He is representing a nation and our feelings become even more emotional.”_
Speaking with a smile, Neto’s father also admitted he has enjoyed seeing his son being mentioned among the most handsome players at the tournament.
**“I’m going to be a professional footballer”**
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The interview also offered a glimpse into the journey that eventually took Pedro Neto to Chelsea and the Portugal national team.
His father recalled that it was the winger’s grandfather who first took him to local club Vianense as a child. And it did not take long before the youngster started setting ambitious targets for himself.
_“He started saying: ‘I’m going to be a professional footballer’.”_
At the time, the family viewed football very differently.
_“We never thought he would reach this level, and that was never the objective. We put him into sport because we believed it was healthy and would help him grow as a person.”_
Only later did they begin to realise how serious he was about the game.
_“When he was 17, we started seeing how focused he was, how committed he was and how seriously he took everything.”_
**The injury doctors feared would end his career**
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That determination became particularly important after a major setback early in his career. Before establishing himself in the Premier League and earning regular Portugal recognition, Neto suffered a serious injury while still a teenager.
The prognosis was far from encouraging.
_“The doctors said that maybe he would never play football again.”_
Instead, the winger fought his way back and eventually built the career that has taken him to the top of English football.
**“The dressing room clown”**
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Despite everything he has achieved, Neto’s father says success has not changed his personality: _“He’s still the dressing room clown!”_
_“He’s a very cheerful person who likes joking around. He’s a happy person. He really loves what he does.”_
With Portugal’s World Cup campaign still in its early stages and family members preparing to make the trip across the Atlantic, Pedro Neto’s father remains confident that both the player and the national team have plenty more to offer in the weeks ahead.