Portugal need to realise their potential

WARSAW, POLAND – FEBRUARY 29: The team of Portugal pose for a photograph during the International Friendly mach between Poland and Portugal at National Stadium on February 29, 2012 in Warsaw, Poland.

“It is Portugal’s party, and they are staying till the very end,” exclaimed Peter Drury when he was commentating at the European Championships in 2004. Portugal had just beaten the Netherlands 2-1 in the semi-finals in front of nearly 47,000 fans at the Jose Alvalade in Lisbon, and the entire nation was in the mood to celebrate.

Flags fluttered from lamp posts, cars and basically any pole-like structure one could get their hands on, as cries of ‘Viva Portugal’ were shouted by people who wore thick woollen maroon and green scarves despite the heat of the European summer. The fans were exultant, and Luis Felipe Scolari’s team were in a very confident mood. They had every reason to be: they were playing in front of more than sixty thousand of their own supporters at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon, and had the backing of more than ten and a half million people to inspire them. They had beaten Spain, Russia, England and the Netherlands en route to the final. The entire nation prepared for a party of epic proportions.

Sadly that was not the case. As we all know now, Greece stunned the hosts – and pretty much the entire footballing world – as they beat Portugal 1-0 in the Final to become European Champions, with Angelos Charisteas’ goal in the 57th minute affording both himself and his team a place in history. Portugal had been beaten by the same team they had lost their opening game to, and yet another generation of Portuguese footballers would fail to win silverware for the Seleccao. For the likes of Manuel Rui Costa, Fernando Couto and Rui Jorge, there was to be no signing off their international careers with a blaze of glory.

Rui Costa was part of a Golden Generation of Portuguese footballers that won the World Youth Championships in 1991. Much was expected from this fledgling group of players who, despite not winning any silverware, gave Portugal their most exciting moments since the legnedary Eusebio did in the 1960s.

The current crop can go one better.

Yes, you might do a double take on reading that. This was after all a side that needed the playoffs to reach Poland-Ukraine after finishing second in their group, drawing (rather entertainingly) against Cyprus at home (the game finished 4-4), and losing to Scandinavian duo Denmark and Norway. Being pitted against Bosnia in the playoffs, neither side managed to breach the other’s defence as the first leg finished goalless in Sarajevo, before the Iberians walloped Edin Dzeko and Co. 6-2 in Portugal.

Portugal have always been around, but inconsistency has let them down when they enter international competitions. 1996 heralded the arrival of the so-called Golden Generation of Portuguese football, but the team failed to live up to its billing. In 1996, they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by the Czech Republic. They failed to qualify for France ’98, albeit cruelly, finishing third in their group behind Germany and Ukraine.

Euro 2000 saw them improve considerably as they defeated England, Romania, Germany and Turkey en route to a semi-final meeting against France, and scored early against the French before Les Bleus equalised, before Zinedine Zidane‘s golden goal penalty knocked them out of the competition. Their elimination was further soured by lengthy suspensions given to Abel Xavier, Nuno Gomes and current Portuguese coach Paulo Bento.

But they failed to make an impression in Korea-Japan, where they needed a draw in their final group game against hosts South Korea, but lost the game after being reduced to nine men, despite being favourites to seal passage to the knockout stages. Euro ’04 saw them reach the finals, and they continued to build on this impressive form in 2006, where they finished fourth, beating the likes of Iran, Angola, Mexico, Holland and England, conceding just one goal before their semi-final meeting against France. Once again, Zizou was to haunt the Portuguese, as his penalty consigned the Portuguese to yet another elimination as they ultimately finished fourth after losing to hosts Germany in Stuttgart. Yet another Portuguese legend was to depart trophyless with the national side as Luis Figo announced his retirement from international football.

Despite losing their talisman, Portugal progressed to the quarter-finals of the 2008 edition of the European Championships before losing to Germany, but failed to make it past the Round of 16 in South Africa, despite being on a 19-game unbeaten run and successfully negotiating the Group of Death which included Cote d’Ivoire, Brazil and North Korea.

But the current crop can still make amends for the transgressions of their predecessors.

Between Paulo Bento and his players lies a mutual respect that has been forged through the passage of time. Many of the squad already know of his exploits as a former national team player, during which time he won five domestic trophies, adding four more as manager of Sporting Lisbon. Portugal, under Carlos Queiroz, was in danger of imploding after their aforementioned 1-0 defeat to Norway and shocking 4-4 draw to Cyprus. Bento, however, began on the right note with wins against Denmark in European qualification, and more surprisingly, a 4-0 mauling of World and European Champions Spain.

Portugal have talent in every area of the pitch. Bento recently stated that he was very happy to have three Real Madrid players in his side. Speaking to The Guardian, Bento said, “It is definitely good news that all the Portuguese players who are playing abroad can achieve the objectives at their clubs. I do not think there will be more pressure on Cristiano. On the contrary: we don’t ask Cristiano to solve all the problems of the national team. These issues must be solved by the group and the better the group is, the better the conditions are for the individual players to shine,” underlining the fact that he did not expect the Madeira-born winger to guide Portugal into the knockout rounds.

Bento could have had four Real players in his squad, had it not been for the ignominious way in which Ricardo Carvalho chose to quit international football. In September 2011, in a European qualifier away to Cyprus, the 34-year-old centre back was benched in favour of Bruno Alves: perfectly understandable given the nature of the opposition. Carvalho, however, saw this as an insult, and walked out of the training camp. Two weeks later, he announced that he had hung up his boots as far as turning out for the national team was concerned.

“I feel in top physical and mental condition, as I have shown through my performances for my club and in the Seleccao. If I’m made to feel I’m excess to requirements but I’m not told so, the only possibility is for me to leave,” he said through Portuguese news agency Lusa. “I’ve played 75 times for Portugal and have been deeply dedicated to defending the good name of the Portuguese team. I have never before felt so disrespected and my dignity so wounded. Among my team-mates, I’m just another player. However, I deserve, like the others, consideration and respect. I did not intend to end my international career like this, but I do so consciously and convinced that I always honoured my country.”

Sure, Bento has done an excellent job in rebuilding the Portuguese squad, but his accomplishments with the national team so far will be dwarfed by what is about to come next: negotiating the Euro 2012 Group of Death, which includes Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark. Bento knows his task won’t be easy, however. “I expect a very difficult game, against a team that has few weaknesses. I think the strongest part among the many strengths that Germany have is the transition from defence to attack,” he said when asked about his prospects of facing Germany.

The Portuguese then face Denmark: a team they faced in qualification. Bento, however, says that their previous encounters will have no psychological impact on how they play, saying, “I don’t believe it will have a bearing on the finals. It is a different competition. We know that Denmark are a good team and that they have great stability when it comes to the coach and the players. Denmark caused us major problems recently in our last two qualifications and of the last four competitive games, we have won only one.”

That last line will be of concern to Portuguese fans. Portugal played out a goalless draw against the Republic of Macedonia before a humbling 3-1 defeat at the hands of Turkey. And given that Holland are one of Europe’s most ruthless sides, Bento will need his side to step up, given that they are without a win in 2012. “Holland have a team of high quality, both individually and collectively. They were finalists in the 2010 World Cup and have retained the basis of that team. In qualifying, they only lost the last game and that was when they had already qualified for the finals. They have a style of play they settled on a long time ago, one that relies a lot on possession and movement with their talented players,” said Bento of the Oranje

There is a saying that goes, “there are no easy games in football.” Let’s hope that like Nelly Furtado’s Euro ’04 theme song, the Forca is with this Portuguese side.