The Latvian national futsal team made a bold statement at their home European Championship, cruising to a 4:0 victory over Georgia in front of a crowd of over 3,000 at Arēna Rīga. After the match, Edgars Tarakanovs, named player of the match, and manager Massimiliano Bellarte shared their thoughts on this historic triumph.
The star of the evening was Edgars Tarakanovs, who scored twice and drove Latvia’s attack. Reflecting on the milestone, he said to the UEFA Media team:
“It feels amazing – we won our first European Championship match. It’s historic. The whole team is thrilled, the fans are thrilled, and now we focus on the next game.”
“Scoring two goals is great, but what matters most is that we helped the team win and earned three points.”
Tarakanovs also revealed the physical toll of the match, managing three separate injuries during play, but he stayed composed:
“It’s normal for me – most games are like this. We have three days to recover and prepare for the next match.”
“The fans made a huge difference. Playing in front of so many supporters was easier, and I hope even more show up against France.”
Head coach Massimiliano Bellarte praised his team’s discipline and mental resilience. His pre-game instructions were simple but powerful: “I told the players – go on the pitch and give everything. The game is the same for both teams: same field, same ball. Play, compete, and enjoy it.”
Bellarte was particularly pleased with how the team executed under pressure: “They went out strong and fought hard. I’ve been working on stability, and this match showed we’re starting to achieve it.”
“Tactics alone aren’t enough – a coach who doesn’t know his players doesn’t really know football. If you understand your players, you understand everything.”
The coach also praised the arena’s electric atmosphere, which has been central to his efforts to bring more emotion and personality to the team:
“When I arrived, the players were very serious. My goal was to make them smile, to be a little crazy. I told them – be crazy!”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s tough match against France, Bellarte encouraged fans to keep the support coming:
“I didn’t expect such a crowd pushing us, shouting, and singing. I hope to see even more people on Sunday – I’m very, very happy.”
Source: https://www.uefa.com/futsaleuro/news/02a1-1fbcc0f461ce-332824dc249e-1000–uefa-futsal-euro-2026-matchday-1-wednesday-round-up-latvia-/
https://sportacentrs.com/futbols/futzals/22012026-tarakanovs_un_matjusenko_vesturiskaja_uzv
