Euro 2024 is just around the corner, and SBOTOP football fans are on the edge of their seats to see the best of what Europe has to offer. With Germany leading the way as the hosts, the prestigious tournament also features the likes of Italy, Spain, France, England, and another Euro 2024 odds favourites, Portugal.
After their headscratcher of an exit in the 2022 World Cup, the Seleção have been on one of the greatest redemption arcs in international football history, thrashing rival nations left and right, with or without their main catalyst, Cristiano Ronaldo, on the field.
In case you missed any of Portugal’s dominance in the past few months, don’t fret, as we’re here to unpack the key takeaways that bolster Portugal’s claim to European glory.
The brilliance of Roberto Martínez
Maybe the most pivotal change for Portugal since their quarter-final exit in the 2022 World Cup is the appointment of Roberto Martínez as their new head coach.
Former head coach Fernando Santos fell on his sword after their disappointing upset against Morocco in Qatar, leaving the star-studded Portuguese squad in shambles. But luckily for Portugal and their supporters, Martínez proved to be just what they needed to get back to their winning ways.
Since the appointment of the 50-year-old Spaniard, Portugal have been garnering nothing but wins. As the man at the helm, Martínez boasted 11 wins in 11 matches with 41 goals and just four conceded during the international window earlier this year.
Portuguese legend José Mourinho recently extended his praise for what Martínez has done for the Portuguese outfit, exclaiming that alongside the Three Lions and Les Bleus, Portugal should also be considered one of the favourites to win the tournament in Germany.
“I want everything to go well, and for this group of players, going well means winning. By winning, (Martínez) will continue, and this group of players will continue with him and go to the next World Cup,” Mourinho confidently stated.
“There may be surprises, yes. But if we look at the quality and quantity of players, which is important in these short competitions where you play practically every three days, I believe Portugal has to aim to win.”
A well-rested Ronaldo
While Martínez led Portugal to stellar results during the recent international break, his skipper, Cristiano Ronaldo, was sidelined for some of the pre-Euro friendlies. Notably, Martínez left Ronaldo out of the lineup during the crucial match against Sweden, where the Portuguese thumped the Swedes 5-2.
The 39-year-old icon was given some rest after a hectic Saudi Pro League campaign with his domestic club, Al Nassr. Ronaldo appeared 30 times last season for Al Nassr, scoring 30 goals and claiming 11 assists, so it’s evident that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been putting in work in the Saudi Pro League.
CR7 returned to the lineup for their last international friendly before the Euro, when they marched to Stožice Stadium to face Slovenia. Their 2-0 loss against the Slovenes ended Martínez’s perfect streak, but they’re poised to flip the script and tally winning Euro 2024 results from the get-go.
“It’s important to go to the European Championship with conceded goals, because during a game it’s important to have a personality to be able to continue playing at the same level. The result is positive for Slovenia, but we have more information to be able to compete in the European Championship in a better way.” Martinez stated this after their loss to Slovenia.
Despite their fumble right before the Euro, Portugal still have a lot to look forward to in Germany, especially now that their main man, Cristiano Ronaldo, is well rested and as tenacious as ever.
Portugal’s potency even without CR7
As stated above, Portugal’s claim for Euro 2024 glory is pretty reasonable ever since Roberto Martínez and the Seleção went on an unstoppable run coming into the tournament. But their status as one of the favourites to win the whole thing was amplified when Portugal were not just beating but flat-out destroying adversaries even without the services of CR7.
With Ronaldo not getting any younger, it’s evident that Martinez and the rest of the Portuguese camp are veering away from being over-reliant on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Fortunately for the Seleção, they’ve been able to keep the ship afloat even at times when Ronaldo has been left out of the lineup.
“We cannot say that the team plays better without Ronaldo. He is very important to us, as is Pepe. Their energy and hard work contribute a lot to our team. We also need to give Gonçal Ramos and Jota the opportunity to show their skills. Ronaldo has experience and a special lifestyle, so we don’t need to compare. Our team is ready to win even without him,” Martinez stated.
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