Page 30 - Soccer360 Issue 106

S360 PREDICTION | 4TH PLACE NICKNAME: LUSITANIANS
PORTUGAL
Portugal arrive at Euro 2024 with momentum and have their eyes set on a
second continental crown. Stephen Donovan explains why they should be 6
considered serious contenders.
EURO APPEARANCES: 8 EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1
FIFA RANKING TH
BACK ON TRACK
Few teams competing at Euro 2024 can match the quality and class that Portugal possess throughout their squad. There is style, creativity, and quality, not to mention a handy sprinkling of some of the world’s best players. If France and England are the two standout favourites at the tournament, on paper A Selecao can easily be considered the best of the rest, and should have every ambition of being the ones lifting the trophy aloft at the Olympiastadion on July 14.
It is undoubtedly a stronger side than the one which scraped its way to success at Euro 2016, with Ruben Dias the defensive linchpin; the inventiveness of Bernardo
Silva and Bruno Fernandes, plus the more recently emerged talent of Goncalo Ramos. However, the problem in the past few years has been how to get the best out of such star names while also building everything around their biggest star of all, Cristiano Ronaldo. Two decades on from his first major finals with Portugal, the 39-year-old
is still front and centre under current coach Roberto Martinez and could land even
more records this summer. As ever all the cameras will be permanently fixed in his direction, but it’ll be interesting to see how he’s utilised, especially if the match situation demands the extra energy and mobility fellow attacking options such as Joao Felix and Rafael Leao can offer. A 100% record
in qualifying with a staggering 36 goals scored and just two conceded from their 10 games, means Portugal have real impetus, not dissimilar to what defending champions Italy had coming into Euro 2020.
PROBABLE STARTING XI
THE COACH:
ROBERTO MARTINEZ
A veteran of three major tournaments in charge of Belgium, the affable Roberto Martinez will hope to go a step further than what he managed with the Red Devils. He has the squad to take Portugal all the way and they are ideally suited to his possession- based style, but the challenge now will be
to carry the form they showed in qualifying into the tournament itself, and prove he can get the big tactical decisions right when it matters.
KEY PLAYER:
CRISTIANO RONALDO
He might not be the outstanding player in the Portugal team these days, but so much still revolves around Cristiano Ronaldo.
His international future seemed in doubt following the 2022 World Cup, but CR7 has remained as immovable as ever, breaking more records including becoming the first man to pass 200 appearances for his country. He is still determined to win a second major tournament, and even at the age of 39, it would be brave to suggest that this one will be his last.
THEIR BEST THREE EUROS
2016
2004
2012
1ST
2ND
3RD
RONALDO
RAMOS
DALOT
CANCELO DIAS
COSTA
SILVA
SILVA
VITINHA FERNANDES PALHINHA
UEFA EURO OVERALL RECORD PLD:39 W:19 D:10 L:10
FACTFILE
POPULATION:
10.4 million
EURO FINALS APPEARANCES: 8
BEST FINISH:
Winners, 2016
MOST MEMORABLE EUROS MOMENT: Eder’s extra time goal that saw them win Euro 2016.
HOW THEY GOT TO EURO 2024: Won all 10 of their qualifying matches.
LAST EUROS APPEARANCE: 2020 - Edged through a heavyweight group before losing to Belgium in a tight last 16 clash.
MOST CAPPED PLAYER: Cristiano Ronaldo, 206 caps
LEADING INTERNATIONAL SCORER: Cristiano Ronaldo, 128 goals
HOW TO FOLLOW:
VS CZECHIA VS TURKEY VS GEORGIA JUNE 18TH JUNE 22ND JUNE 26TH 3:00PM | EST 12:00PM | EST 3:00PM | EST
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SOCCER360 SUMMER 2024
GROUP F - UEFA EURO 2024