Portugal Euro 2008 Online Streams and TV Schedules
Portugal at Euro 2008
The nearly men
After a sixteen-year period of relative obscurity, Portugal roared back onto the world stage during Euro2000. Admittedly, at the youth level Portuguese football had made waves in the late eighties and early nineties, but the senior team, prior to the turn of the century, had enjoyed little success apart from the 1966 World Cup (third-place finish) and the 1984 European Championships (semi-final exit). The Portuguese public expected more, and during Euro2000 they started to dream again. Luis Figo and Rui Costa provided a spectacle of football, taking Portugal all the way to the semi-finals, only to then controversially lose to France. En route to the semi-final, Portugal had confidently defeated England and Germany.
Four years later, on home soil, Portugal went one better. They reached the Final of Euro2004, but could not break down a well-drilled Greek team. However, despite tantalizingly losing out, Portugal’s progress had been confirmed. The World Cup 2002 debacle, which saw the Portuguese acrimoniously exit at the first hurdle, was behind the country. At the World Cup in Germany, Portugal reached the semi-final again, but France, their old nemesis, edged them 1-0 on the night.
So can Portugal actually win this time, or will they once again run out of steam by the time they get to the latter stages? If their qualification campaign is anything to go by, then Portuguese fans would do well to set expectations low. Portugal finished second in their group behind Poland, losing to them and drawing Armenia in the process. Even a team containing the creative prowess of Ricardo Quaresma, Deco, and Cristiano Ronaldo can look out of ideas at times. If Portugal are to taste glory this summer, they will have to impose their game on the opposition. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team really thrives on a possession game, but a system that employs only one striker can sometimes seem too conservative.
How Portugal qualified
Portugal finished second behind Poland in their qualifying group. Their qualification campaign was largely unremarkable, with a 4-0 crushing of Belgium hitting the highest note.
How Portugal play
Scolari uses a 4-2-3-1 system, in which Carvalho anchors the defence. Veloso and Maniche sit in front of the back four, and they support the creative trio of Quaresma, Deco, and Ronaldo. Hugo Almeida seems Scolari’s choice for striker.
About the coach
Scolari is a World Cup winning coach with Brazil, and he has really instilled a lot of confidence in the Portuguese side. He is often criticized as being too defensive, but if his Portugal get going they are a joy to watch. Scolari was recently linked to the England job, but after a brief period of courtship by the F.A., the coach decided to stay with Portugal.
Key players
Ricardo Carvalho - The Chelsea man is one of the best defenders going around. Carvalho reads the game brilliantly and times his tackles well.
Ricardo Quaresma- Speedy winger with guile. It seems a matter of time before a big European club steals him from Porto.
Star player
Cristiano Ronaldo - The Manchester United brand’s good-looking face, Ronaldo is the prototypical modern footballer. He is marketable, exciting to watch, and, at 23, his country’s most charismatic player. Ronaldo may not only be the star of Portugal this summer, but also the tournament.
Verdict
Portugal have quality in abundance, but what will count is their mental strength and tactical adaptability. They should make it past their group, which contains Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Turkey. But the more important questions remain. Will Portugal score freely in the tournament? Will Scolari be flexible enough to change his tactics if need be? A system that employs two wingers is not the simplest to tinker with. Despite all these factors, Portugal should make the semi-finals.
Article by Hasan Saiyid
Portugal Euro 2008 News
