Euro 2008 Team Profile: Portugal

Nickname: Selecção das Quinas (National team of the five)

Jersey: Red for home, white away. Take a look.

FIFA World Ranking: 9th as May 2008, seventh out of the 16 Euro 2008 teams.

Fixtures/Schedule: Group A
7th June vs Turkey (Geneva) 20:45
11th June vs Czech Republic (Geneva) 18:00
15th June vs Switzerland (Basle) 20:45

Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari
Or Big Phil if you prefer. The Brazilian disciplinarian won the Copa Libertadores with Gremio and Palmeiras before taking the Brazil job in 2001 and winning the World Cup in 2002. Not too shabby.

Then he took the Portuguese job, going from Seleção to Selecção. Took Portugal all the way to the Euro 2004 final on homesoil but lost to Greece, then finished third fourth at World Cup 2006. Expected to move on (maybe to Man City, or possibly somewhere less mental) after Euro 2008, so this is his last international hurrah with the Portuguese.

Expectations: As beaten finalists last time out Portugal could reasonably be expected to be there or thereabouts again. They also have arguably the best player in the world, and almost certainly the best player in the tournament in Cristiano Ronaldo, as well all kinds of creativity and a solid back line.

But, as usual, the big problem is the lack of quality striker to capitalize on all the talent behind him. Plus they seem to lack leadership since old hands Luis Figo, Costinha and Pauleta retired and recent form in friendlies hasn’t been great.

Key Player: Has to be Cristiano Ronaldo. His form is the best it’s ever been, and so he’ll enter the tournament full of confidence. Though I believe we said exactly the same thing about Ronaldinho in 2006.

Portugal can’t rely on Nuno Gomes or Hugo Almeida to score enough to take them all the way, so it all depends on how much Ronaldo can chip in. As a quick reminder, here are the 42 he scored for Man Utd in 2007/8.

For much, much more, read our C-Ron Euro 2008 Player Profile, or visit Cristiano Ronaldo Offside.

Other Key Players: Portugal are loaded with wingers. As well as C-Ron, you’ve got Ricardo Quaresma, Simao and Nani. Take your pick, they’re all outrageously talented. But going through the middle it’s all about the magician we call Deco (player profile here). Also solid at the back with Real Madrid’s Pepe and Chelsea Ricardo Carvalho.

X-Factor: Strikers. Can Nuno Gomes, Hugo Almeida or Helder Postiga put the ball away? If not then Portugal could be in trouble. One solution might be to use Cristiano Ronaldo as a striker (we know he can do it) and free up some space for one of Portugal’s other fifty talented wingers. But what do I know. Big Phil won a World Cup.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Ricardo Pereira (Real Betis), Quim Silva (Benfica), Rui Patricio (Sporting)

Defenders: Miguel Monteiro (Valencia), Jose Bosingwa (Porto), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Fernando Meira (VfB Stuttgart), Bruno Alves (Porto), Pepe (Real Madrid), Jorge Ribeiro (Boavista)

Midfielders: Raul Meireles (Porto), Joao Moutinho (Sporting), Deco (Barcelona), Armando Petit (Benfica), Miguel Veloso (Sporting), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Nani (Manchester United)

Forwards: Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid), Ricardo Quaresma (Porto), Nuno Gomes (Benfica), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen, Helder Postiga (Panathinaikos)

All Euro 2008 squads here (including squad numbers)

Team Blogger: Greg covers all things Selecção (including some stunning WAGgery) on the Portugal Blog.

Random International Moments:

Portugal are 3-0 down to North Korea in a 1966 World Cup quarterfinal, but the legendary Eusebio scores four as they come back to win 5-3.

Highlights from Euro 2004, where Portugal finished runners-up. Remember Maniche’s goal against Netherlands in the semi?

Portugal vs Netherlands in the World Cup 2006 round of 16, where referee Valentin Ivanov set a new World Cup record, giving out 16 yellows and three reds. Both teams finished with nine men, but Portugal won 1-0.

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