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Portugal qualified for the Euro 2008 finals finishing second in Group A, one point behind group leaders Poland, who were the only team to defeat the Euro 2004 runners-up.
On their way they recorded 7 wins, 6 draws and one defeat, scoring 24 goals and allowing 10.
Portugal was drawn in Group A, alongside co-host Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Turkey.
Their first match will be on the opening day of the tournament against Turkey in Geneva, Switzerland.
The team:
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has a highly adaptable team that can play in various formations, depending on the situation, but seems most comfortable in 4-2-3-1 line-up.
Ricardo Pereira (Real Betis) looks certain on goal, while in front of him Scolari has defenders Ricardo Carvalho and Paolo Ferriera, who have also been instrumental for Chelsea in the Premier League, as well as Miguel Monteiro (Valencia) and Bosingwa, who signed for Chelsea in May. Bruno Alves (Porto), Pepe (Real Madrid), Jorge Ribeiro (Boavista FC), Miguel (Valencia CF), and Fernando Meira (Stuttgart) are got their place in the squad.
In the midfield, Scolari decided to take youth over experience. Although he kept Deco (Barcelona), Scolari dropped Inter's Maniche from the team. Youngsters Raul Meireles (Porto), Petit (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (Sporting), and Miguel Veloso (Sporting) all got their call for the tournament.
Up-front, a heavy load will be put on the shoulders of Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), who scored 8 goals for Portugal in qualifying. Scolari can also choose to use Ronaldo’s Manchester United teammate Nani, as well as Benfica's Nuno Gomes and Atletico Madrid's Simao Sabrosa, who scored 3 goals each in qualifying.
Porto's Ricardo Quaresma and Werder Bremen's Hugo Almeida are also available for the attack.
Coach profile:
Luiz Felipe Scolari will hope to go even further with Portugal this year and improve on their second place finish from 4 years ago when they hosted the tournament.
Not celebrated as a player Scolari started his coaching career in 1982 and led several teams in Brazil and the Middle East before he took the job as the head coach of the Brazilian national team.
With the generation that featured Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, Scolari won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
In 2003, Scolari became the head coach the Portuguese national team and led them to the final at the Euro 2004, and the semifinals at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Team record:
This will be Portugal's fourth appearance at the European Championships, in which they have never finished lower than the semi-finals.
At the Euro '84, Portugal was eliminated in the semis by hosts France, led by Michel Platini, who moved on to win the tournament.
In 2000, again a defeat in the semis to France, who won the tournament.
And in 2004, Portugal made the final at the tournament they hosted, but lost to Greece.
They have also made 4 appearances at the FIFA World Cup.
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