Udinese striker Beto admits he wants to play in the Champions League but insists his ego should not influence his choices: ‘I am no Messi or Ronaldo.’
The Portugal international was included in the preliminary squad for Qatar 2022 but was eventually cut from the final 26-man squad list.
“I am not an egoist, I felt I was not supposed to be in the team, right now I am not thinking about the national team. I want to help Udinese,” he told Gazzetta. “If they call me, I’ll be happy, if not it means that I have to work more.”
The 24-year-old has been struggling with injuries this term, so he hasn’t always been a regular starter at the Dacia Arena. Nevertheless, he has scored 17 goals in 45 games with the Bianconeri during his one-and-a-half-year spell at the club.
“Numbers are for stats only, I want to play well and I hadn’t been playing well because I was recovering from an injury,” said the striker.
“Now I feel well, I am the old Beto. I suffered because I was not always in the starting XI, but when you suffer an injury like mine, the ego must not prevail. I am not Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. I am Beto and the last four months have been harsh.
“We are a strong team, we have quality. I don’t have as much quality as the others, but my task is to put the ball inside the net.”
Who is the teammate who has surprised him the most?
“Lovric is my surprise. He has passion, he plays well, and he recovers the ball.”
Beto joined Udinese for €7m in 2021, and his contract expires in June 2026. What’s his plan for the future? Does he want to join a bigger club?
“I’ve never thought about a specific league. I am happy here, but I’ve always had the desire to play in the Champions League,” he admitted.
Beto used to work at a KFC restaurant in Portugal before becoming a professional football. Does he still order at KFC in Udine?
“Sometimes, but I don’t eat a lot of fried chicken,” he said.
“Some of my friends still work there, so when I am in Portugal, I go to meet them. It was a nice experience, but I had to wake up early and I like to sleep a lot. I love staying at home. I play Call Of Duty and not FIFA.”
Talking about Portugal, would he be happy if José Mourinho was appointed as the coach of his national team?
“It would be great. I don’t know him, but he is well known and a great coach,” the striker concluded.