By Jānis Vītols
The Latvian National futsal team today held its first training session at the Komandu sporta spēļu halle as part of the final preparation phase ahead of its historic debut at the UEFA Futsal EURO 2026, which will get underway in less than two weeks in Rīga, Kaunas and Ljubljana.
Before the training session, members of the media spoke with representatives of the national team, including head coach Massimiliano Bellarte. In an interview with Baltic Football News, Bellarte explained that after a long preparation period, the foundations are now in place and the focus has shifted to fine-tuning the final details ahead of the opening match.“We had one year and a half to prepare, to create the conditions to compete in the right way at the final tournament,” he said. “Now it’s time to put some details in order.”
As part of those final steps, the team will also train at the Arēna Rīga shortly before the tournament begins. Bellarte explained that experiencing the venue is crucial. “We will gather there two or three days before to feel the atmosphere, test the court and really get used to it. That will be our final step toward the tournament,” he noted, while adding that belief will be decisive: “Preparation is important, but to get results we need to believe that something extraordinary is possible.”
Bellarte also spoke about his often-mentioned philosophy of freedom, which he sees as central to his work with the Latvian team. “Freedom comes from the way I lead this group,” he explained. “I lead with empathy, treating them like human beings. Playing with freedom means giving the game back to the players, because the game belongs to them.”
A major transformation during his tenure has been a change in mentality. Bellarte admitted that this was the most impactful adjustment he could make in a short time. “I couldn’t come in and change everything tactically or technically,” he said. “So I changed the mentality.” Instead of approaching matches cautiously, Latvia now aims to play proactively. “We started pressing teams higher, not just staying back and hoping to concede fewer goals. That was the biggest change, and I think it shows in the results we’ve had this year.”
Despite the step up in level at a final tournament, Bellarte remains confident in his players. “This stage will be completely different, it will be tougher,” he acknowledged. “But they are very good players and a very good team, and I hope this mentality will follow us even at the European Championship.”
Asked what gives him confidence ahead of the opening match, Bellarte pointed to the motivation within the squad. “I trust them,” he said. “It’s their first final tournament and they want to show themselves to the futsal world.” He also highlighted the balance within the team, noting that individual strengths in different areas combine to form a strong collective.
Selecting the final tournament squad is another difficult task still ahead. For the last phase of preparation, 18 players have been called up, but only 15 can be registered for the UEFA Futsal EURO 2026, meaning three players will have to miss out. Bellarte described this as the most painful aspect of his role. “This is the saddest part of my job,” he admitted. “Telling a player that he will not be part of the tournament is very difficult.”
The head coach stressed that such decisions are never about right or wrong. “There are no good choices or bad choices – there are choices that must be made,” he said. Bellarte plans to delay the final decision until the very end of the preparation period, using every remaining training session to ensure he makes the most informed call possible. “I will arrive at the last training and then decide. I will try to do my best to choose in the right way.”
Looking beyond UEFA Futsal EURO 2026, Bellarte emphasized that this tournament should be seen as a beginning rather than an end. “I don’t want this team to be remembered,” he said. “This is the start of their journey.” With a young squad, he believes the experience can serve as a platform for further progress. “From this, they can improve and maybe one day qualify for the World Cup. I want Latvian futsal to be known, not just remembered.”
Latvia will begin its UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 campaign on January 21 at Arēna Rīga against Georgia. France and Croatia are also in Group A, with the top two teams progressing to the quarter-finals.
