Melikyan After the Defeat to Hungary: “It’s Very Painful, But the Team Showed Character”

The press conference of Armenia national team head coach Yeghishe Melikyan took place after the match against Hungary, held on November 13 in Yerevan. The Matchday 5 fixture of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers ended with a narrow 0–1 victory for the visitors. This defeat eliminated Armenia from contention for advancing from the group, and Melikyan provided a detailed breakdown of the loss and assessed his team’s performance.

Yeghishe Melikyan’s Press Conference

Opening remarks from the Armenia head coach:

“Once again, we suffered a painful defeat. We had chances not to lose — we even could have won — but in the end, we lost. It’s very upsetting. In any case, I’m proud of the players: they showed character, the will to win, and we had a good atmosphere in the team. I congratulate the opponent; I can’t say they didn’t deserve the win. We will think about our mistakes and analyze everything.”

“The second half was Armenia’s best half in this qualifying cycle. What changed?”

“We worked well during halftime and changed the game plan a bit. We knew what the opponent was trying to do. They provoked us to move forward so they could punish mistakes and use the space between our lines. We adjusted the pressing model, and most importantly — we worked on psychology and emotions. But it still wasn’t enough.”

“What progress do you see in the team under your leadership?”

“Yes, we’ve taken several steps forward. I can’t speak for what things were like before me, but now we have a good group. We have unity and team spirit. We have a game plan, and we know what we want. Not everything will work out — that’s normal when you play strong opponents — but the main thing is that the team knows how to play and what it’s playing for. This match showed that there is competition in the national team. We shouldn’t have irreplaceable players. Many local players played today, and they will be motivated to improve. We didn’t pick up enough points, but I thank the fans for their understanding and support.”

“Why did we play so poorly in the first half but improved in the second? Was the game plan wrong?”

“First, we have a limited pool of players, and we were up against a very strong team. We can’t maintain stability for 90 minutes. We try to adapt and make adjustments. But I can’t say Hungary had a huge advantage in the first half — they didn’t have chances to score a second goal. They controlled the ball, but that was part of our plan. We couldn’t afford to take big risks against players from Liverpool. Our counterattacks were poor, and the forwards didn’t hold the ball well. I pointed this out at halftime. The pressure fell entirely on the defenders. During the break, I told a few players they had ten minutes to play a different kind of football — otherwise they might never start again.”

“Why did you make substitutions in the 76th minute if you gave players 10 minutes?”

“I saw improvement. We were attacking well and had taken the initiative, so I didn’t want to rush. When the game is flowing, there’s no need to hurry with substitutions. When I noticed fatigue, I made the changes.”

“Grant-Leon Ranos didn’t have his best game. How do you rate his form?”

“I like Ranos very much as a player. I see a big future for him, and he is our best striker. But he has problems at his club right now. I hope he goes on loan in the winter and focuses on his development. Today, some players didn’t perform their best, but I saw desire and fighting spirit in them, so I’m not angry. Maybe I said something emotional, but that’s just emotion. In the national team, players must show commitment — and I saw that.”

“Would you change the starting lineup if you could pick it again now?”

“I don’t think we made a mistake with the lineup, but the substitutes improved our play. That’s what substitutions are for: a fresh player coming up against tired defenders. It doesn’t mean he would’ve played the same way from the start. Before they went on, I said a few words to motivate them — and it worked.”

“What about Artur Serobyan’s performance?”

“Yes, I spoke with him. He definitely deserves to start and may start against Portugal. He is not inferior to anyone. The choice against Hungary was more tactical — we needed Artur on the bench to strengthen the game later.”

“What about Araik Eloyan’s performance?”

“I’m very pleased with him. He energized the game and pressed well. The fact that he didn’t score — it’s okay. This is football, it happens.”

“Why did the referee give you a yellow card?”

“I shouted at him. I don’t know what he said after that.”

“How did Karen Muradyan replace Ugochukwu Iwu in the holding midfield role?”

“I’m very satisfied. I didn’t know him personally before — only saw him in the Armenian league. But after getting to know him, I can say he is a wonderful person: humble, dedicated, a true Armenian.”

“Narek Grigoryan played on the left wing. Do you plan to use him there again?”

“No, he’s better on the right, but we had no other choice. Shagoyan was exhausted and had to be replaced, and I put Serobyan on the right. I asked Grigoryan if he could play on the left — he said yes, probably just to get a chance to be on the field.”

“Did you consider moving Nair Tiknizyan forward and using Edgar Grigoryan in defense?”

“No. For me, Tiknizyan is an excellent wing-back, but not a winger. Edgar Grigoryan is a great guy and understands everything. If something happens to Tiknizyan, Edgar can replace him very well. But I don’t see them both on the field together — they are players of the same type, impossible to use together. Tiknizyan attacks well, but from deep and from the flank. When he moves centrally, he gets lost — and a winger must move inside.”

“One match remains — against group leaders Portugal, who might rotate. Will you experiment with the lineup?”

“Of course not. How can we experiment against Portugal? Let them experiment — we’ll take advantage of that. We will use everything we have.”

(Hungarian journalist) “Congratulations on the second half — you were magnificent. You defended very well against Szoboszlai and Varga. How did you prepare?”

“Yes, we studied your leaders carefully and tried to neutralize their strengths. That’s why Hungary didn’t have many chances.”

“Portugal will play in special Eusebio tribute shirts, and Cristiano Ronaldo promised to score many goals — unfortunately, against us. How do you plan to handle this?”

“Portugal isn’t just Ronaldo — the entire team is world-class. We’re very happy to have the opportunity to play against such an opponent. It will be a huge experience for us.”

“Erik Piloyan barely played for the national team before you arrived, and now you use him almost every match. What do you like about him?”

“He maintains concentration for all 90 minutes. For me, concentration is the most important quality for a top player. He is very committed to the national team, plays with passion, and fights for the country. In general, I see love for the homeland in all my players. Of course local players have it because they live in Armenia, but what makes me happiest is that the foreign-born players — Tiknizyan, Spertsyan and others — also have it. So I believe everything will be fine.”