"We will not stop until we achieve our goal"

American goalkeeper Katelin Talbert joined the Club, the women's football team, in the first month of 2022. In 480 minutes of play, she did not concede a goal, and the focus is on winning the national title. In an interview granted to the newspaper O Benfica, you can read here, she makes revelations about the adaptation and much more! 

What is your assessment of these first months at Sport Lisboa e Benfica?

I'm really enjoying being here. It has been great to train with the team daily. I feel I am learning a lot and growing as a player and as a person. I also like Portugal very much.

You have not conceded a goal in five matches played by the Club. What is the secret?

We have a great defensive unit, and we play well as a team. We have great ball control in all sectors. That's great. Like all the players, I just try to do my job the best way I can. The fact that I haven't conceded any goals is the result of the effort of the whole team.

Benfica leads the Liga BPI only with victories and is well-positioned in the fight to defend the national title. What is the group's spirit for what remains to be played in the Championship?

It's good. We are very focused at the moment and training hard. Our goal is to win all the matches that are left to play. We have a great opportunity to win the National Championship, and I think we'll succeed.

How was your integration into the workgroup? How were you welcomed by your teammates?

It was very good. They accepted me as one of them right away. Even the girls who don't speak English tried their best to interact with me. It's funny because we find other ways to communicate with each other, through sign language. We laugh and do funny things. I've been well-integrated, and I feel like I'm part of a group that is like a family.

Did the support of the Benfiquistas impress you?

I already knew that Benfica has thousands of fans, but, yes, every day I am surprised at how many fans the Club has. It is fantastic. The support is being bigger than I ever thought, but I should have known that because Benfica is one of the biggest clubs in the world. We feel the support of the fans in every match.

How have the training sessions been?

I feel that I have learned a lot in these months here. We work focused every day and we won't stop until we achieve our goal. We are progressing day by day. I have learned a lot about the way the team plays.

What is your analysis of the quality of Portuguese women's football?

There is no doubt that the quality of Portuguese women's football is good, especially in the teams at the top of the league. The players that play for Benfica and the other teams that are fighting for the title have immense value and undeniable talent.

How do you describe yourself as a goalkeeper?

I would say I try to be that goalkeeper who makes very difficult flying saves. My favorite move is to dive and launch myself into the air. In fact, it's something I'm somewhat known for. At school, they called me a ninja, because I would jump like a crazy person. I have a lot of confidence, but without being extremely confident. I'm very positive when I talk to my team and my defense. I always try to motivate my teammates at any time.

Which goalkeeper do you have as an idol?

I don't have anyone in particular at the moment, but when I was young I loved watching Guillermo Ochoa [Mexican goalkeeper]. He made impossible saves. In situations where it was almost certain that the ball was going to go in, he would jump so high that he didn't even look human.