PORTUGAL SQUAD FOR EURO 2008 IN AUSTRIA AND SWITZERLAND
Road to Austria and Switzerland 2008:
Though Portugal lost just one game in qualifying Group A, the only section with eight teams, they had to endure a nervous finale before clinching their place in the finals as runners-up to Poland, who finished with 28 points to Portugal’s 27.
After clinging on for a 1-1 draw with Finland with ten men in their opening game, Portugal won 3-0 against Azerbaijan but then lost 2-1 in Poland. Progress was patchy thereafter, despite winger Cristiano Ronaldo contributing eight goals.
Portugal dropped some unexpected points, drawing 1-1 home and away against Serbia, 2-2 at home against Poland and – most surprisingly – 1-1 away against Armenia.
An incident following the 1-1 home draw with Serbia led coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to be banned from the touchline for three games, but Portugal won all three matches with his assistant Flávio Teixeira in charge, meaning they needed only to avoid defeat in their final game against Finland in Porto to progress.
With Roy Hodgson’s Finland knowing a win would likely see them qualify in Portugal's place, it was a tense affair, but a 0-0 draw sufficed for the home side. However Scolari admitted: "I know we have to improve for the finals."
Going into the tournament in Austria and Switzerland, Portugal had played 108 matches in their 13 participations in the European Championships (qualifying for only five), winning 58, drawing 26 and losing 24 with 183 goals scored and 98 conceded.
They first qualified for the European Championships in 1984, when they were knocked out in the semi-finals. Portugal next qualified for Euro 1996 in England, and were eliminated at the quarter-final stage. In 2000 they again made the semis before coming closest to wining the trophy last time round. As the host nation for Euro 2004, Portugal advanced to the final, but lost to Greece, who had also defeated them in the tournament’s opening game, 2-1.
Coach:
Luiz Felipe Scolari
The charismatic Brazilian – a ruthless defender in his playing days, though did not gain international honours – has been in charge of Portugal since 2003, and taken his team to a European Championship final and a World Cup semi-final. They were defeated 2-1 by Greece at Euro 2004, which they hosted, and lost out to France 1-0 at Germany two summers later.
Before his Portugal appointment, 59-year-old Scolari took his native Brazil to their record fifth World Cup title in 2002. His five years in charge of Portugal are by far the longest he has had in any one job in a nomadic career. The supposed Nottingham Forest fan has taken charge of 19 different teams in the 26 years he has been actively coaching, including stints in the Middle East and Asia.
After Germany 2006 the last of the so-called ‘golden generation’ – Rui Costa, Luis Figo and Sérgio Conceição – retired, prompting Scolari to blood a number of youngsters on the road to Austria and Switzerland. And having lost only one game in 14, expect the Brazilian to work his motivational magic again.
Goalkeepers:
Daniel Fernandes
The Canadian-born goalkeeper, now No1 at PAOK Thessaloniki after five years in Greece, is expected to be Portugal’s No3 in Austria and Switzerland. The 24-year-old Moved from Vancouver Metro to FC Porto and has also featured for Bavarian side Jahn Regensburg and Celta Vigo in Spain.
Quim
Long-time national understudy first to Vítor Baía and now Ricardo Pereira, Benfica’s Quim missed out on the 2002 World Cup due to a failed drugs test. The 32-year-old spent a decade at FC Braga before moving to Benfica in 2004. Since making his Portuguese bow in 1999 he has played 24 other times.
Ricardo Pereira
Famous for his heroics in penalty shootouts, Portugal’s No1 was an ever present figure in the qualifiers. Real Betis’ Ricardo, 32, knocked England out of Euro 2004 by first saving Darius Vassell’s spot kick then scoring one himself. After taking over from Vítor Baía, the former Boavista and Sporting ‘keeper has over 70 caps to his name.
Defenders:
Jorge Andrade
The highly-rated centre-back has missed most of the 2007/8 season after tearing a ligament, and missed eight of Portugal’s qualifiers. Before moving to Juventus last summer the classy defender enjoyed five seasons in La Liga with Deportivo de La Coruña. Like team-mates Nani and Miguel, Andrade, 30, is of Cape Verde descent.
José Bosingwa
Porto’s right-back since 2003, Bosingwa is known for his tireless stamina and pace. The 25-year-old was an Under-21 regular though he has found it hard to supplant Chelsea’s Paulo Ferreira. Bosingwa was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has been linked with a host of top European clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United.
Bruno Alves
The tall, commanding centre-back has been a fixture in the Porto starting XI since he signed from AEK Athens in 2005. Alves, 26, made his full international debut in June 2007 against Kuwait. He played in seven of Portugal’s qualifiers and scored against Azerbaijan in last October’s 2-0 away win.
Marco Caneira
A versatile defender, Caneira is at most ease as a left-back. The 29-year-old signed for Valencia in 2003 and has played over 40 times for the Spanish club, though he spent 2006/7 on loan back at his first club, Sporting Club de Portugal. As well as playing in Spain and Portugal, Caneira has also plied his trade in France and Italy.
Ricardo Carvalho
The classy centre-back was named defender of the tournament when Porto, guided by Jose Mourinho, won the 2003/4 Champions League. An imperious Euro 2004 was next before Carvalho followed his manager to Chelsea that summer for £20m and has been a mainstay since. The 30-year-old is viewed as a worthy successor to legend Fernando Couto.
Fernando Meira
The 30-year-old made his Portugal debut in 2000 but, after missing out on making the 2006 World Cup squad, earned a recall under Scolari. Meira has played centre-back for German club Stuttgart since 2002, and even captained them to the Bundesliga trophy in 2006/7. Played in seven of Portugal’s qualifiers.
Miguel
Valencia’s utility defender Miguel is rated highly by Scolari, and featured in 10 of the qualifying games. Miguel played over 100 games for Benfica before moving to Spain in 2005. Born in Lisbon, Miguel, 28, first played for his country in February 2003 against Italy. He signed a new five-year deal at Valencia last December.
Paulo Ferreira
The Chelsea right-back found a starting place hard to come by in the last season at club level, and faces similar problems in the Portugal team, with Miguel his chief competition. Ferreira, 29, amassed 27 U-21 caps before making his full international debut in 2002. He has over 40 caps, and played eight full games in the qualifying campaign.
Pepe
Brazilian-born Pepe, 25, spent three years at Porto before moving to Real Madrid for €30m in June 2007. In his first season, en route to the La Liga title, the classy, tall centre-back earned a handful of man-of-the-match awards, including in the 1-0 away win against Barcelona. Only made his Portugal debut in November 2007 against Finland (0-0), but should be the future of his adoptive country’s defence.
Jorge Ribeiro
The younger brother of midfielder Maniche, Ribeiro is Boavista’s right-back and will only be used as a back up by Scolari at Euro 2008. The 26-year-old made his international debut back in 2002 but has only eight caps to his name. The Benfica trainee has experience of the Russian and Spanish leagues.
Midfielders:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Still only 23, Ronaldo has been the focal point for Portugal since he made his debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003, having, a month earlier, taken over David Beckham’s No7 shirt at Manchester United. Having honed his breath-taking skills, Ronaldo is one of the most dangerous attackers in world football and has the accolades to prove it. Top-scored for Portugal with eight goals in qualifying.
Deco
The naturalised Brazilian, born in São Paulo, did not gain as much playing time as he would have liked at Barcelona this season, but played 10 times in Portugal’s Euro 2008 qualifiers. The 30-year-old scheming playmaker joined the Catalan club in 2004 and made his Portugal bow in March 2003 against his home county, Brazil.
Manuel Fernandes
Defensive midfielder Fernandes, 22, moved to Valencia from first club Benfica for £17m last summer, though he was loaned out to Everton from January. Born in a Lisbon suburb, Fernandes used to kick about in the streets with fellow international Nani. Featured for only 30 minutes in the qualifiers.
Maniche
The central midfielder earned his moniker from Benfica's 1980s legendary Danish forward Michael Manniche, and started out as a winger at Benfica. The 30-year-old has featured for Serie A winners Inter Milan this season, having been loaned out by Atletico Madrid. Played in eight qualifiers and has over 40 Portugal caps to his name.
João Moutinho
Moutinho has been touted as the natural successor to Rui Costa’s – Portugal’s attacking midfield star of the 1990s and early 2000s. The 21-year-old joined his club, Sporting, when 13, and is now captain. He played in six Euro 2008 qualifiers and has been linked to Manchester United, such is his promise.
Nani
The tricky winger moved from Sporting to Manchester United for £17m last summer, and has impressed with a handful of scorching goals. Born in Cape Verde, Nani, 21, played two seasons in Lisbon for Sporting and made his international debut against Denmark in September 2006, a game in which he scored. Played nine games in the qualifiers.
Petit
Combative and clever, Petit has been an important part of the Portugal midfield since he made his debut in 2001. The 31-year-old was born in France, though he has never played his club football outside Portugal – he has starred for Gil Vicente, Boavista, and, since 2002, Benfica. Also known for his direct free-kicks.
Ricardo Quaresma
The coveted 24-year-old forward, who can play on the left, right or more centrally, has been on the books of Porto since moving from Barcelona in 2004. Quaresma came up through the youth ranks at Sporting and has great pace and dribbling speed, though he missed out on Germany 2006. Played in all but three qualifiers for Portugal.
Raúl Meireles
Porto’s central midfielder Meireles is known for his clever passing and his long-range shooting, and played in five of Portugal’s Euro 2008 qualifiers. The 25-year-old was a member of the 2004 Under-21 team who came third in the European Championships. He has previously played for CD Aves and Boavista.
Simão
Winger or forward Simão moved to Atlético Madrid in July 2007 for €20m from Benfica, where he was captain. The 28-year-old started out at Sporting before moving to Barcelona, where he spent two years and played 46 times. Simão scored three goals from eight games in qualifying. He made his international bow in November 1998 when he scored against Israel.
Tiago
Central midfielder played last season for Juventus, and has had stints with Benfica, Chelsea and Lyon, collecting seven domestic trophies along the way. Tiago, 27, played eight qualifying games and made his Portugal debut in 2002. He featured in five games at Germany 2006, and didn’t score his first international goal until March 2007.
Miguel Veloso
The 22-year-old began his career as a centre-back but is now more accustomed to a defensive midfield role. Veloso has been at Sporting since he was 14, and moved from rivals Benfica – the club where his father was a defender. He played in four games on Portugal’s route to Euro 2008 and many top European club have been monitoring his progress.
Forwards:
Hugo Almeida
The pacey and powerful Almeida has been playing in the German Bundesliga with Werder Bremen for the past two seasons with much success. The 24-year-old netted twice in four Euro 2008 qualifiers. The 6’3” striker was on the books of Porto for four years and won the Superliga in 2006.
Luís Boa Morte
The 30-year-old forward is the only member of the squad who has never played in Portugal. Boa Morte, who is most effective on the wing, started his career at Arsenal in 1997. He has played at Southampton, Fulham and West Ham United – where he played in 2007/8 – since. He made his international debut in 2001 but did not feature in any qualifying games.
Nuno Gomes
Prolific striker Gomes began his career in 1994 with Braga before moving in 1997 to Benfica, where he spent three seasons and scored 60 goals. Two years in Italy with Fiorentina followed before returning to Benfica. After the retirement of Pauleta, Gomes, 31, will lead the line for Portugal. Scored three goals in 10 qualifying matches.
Hélder Postiga
The striker, 25, was once the great hope of Portuguese football after winning a league and cup double as well as the Uefa Cup in Jose Mourinho’s Porto team. An £8m transfer to Tottenham followed in 2003, though Postiga failed to impress and moved back to Porto. Scored against England in Euro 2004 to take the quarter-final to penalties.
Ariza Makukula
Born in Zaire, the tall forward is chiefly used by Scolari as a substitute. In this role he scored one goal in three qualifying matches. Makulkula, 27, has played for nine different clubs, and has tasted life in Spain and France. Was on the books of Benfica last season, though he seldom featured.
Road to Austria and Switzerland 2008:
Though Portugal lost just one game in qualifying Group A, the only section with eight teams, they had to endure a nervous finale before clinching their place in the finals as runners-up to Poland, who finished with 28 points to Portugal’s 27.
After clinging on for a 1-1 draw with Finland with ten men in their opening game, Portugal won 3-0 against Azerbaijan but then lost 2-1 in Poland. Progress was patchy thereafter, despite winger Cristiano Ronaldo contributing eight goals.
Portugal dropped some unexpected points, drawing 1-1 home and away against Serbia, 2-2 at home against Poland and – most surprisingly – 1-1 away against Armenia.
An incident following the 1-1 home draw with Serbia led coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to be banned from the touchline for three games, but Portugal won all three matches with his assistant Flávio Teixeira in charge, meaning they needed only to avoid defeat in their final game against Finland in Porto to progress.
With Roy Hodgson’s Finland knowing a win would likely see them qualify in Portugal's place, it was a tense affair, but a 0-0 draw sufficed for the home side. However Scolari admitted: "I know we have to improve for the finals."
Going into the tournament in Austria and Switzerland, Portugal had played 108 matches in their 13 participations in the European Championships (qualifying for only five), winning 58, drawing 26 and losing 24 with 183 goals scored and 98 conceded.
They first qualified for the European Championships in 1984, when they were knocked out in the semi-finals. Portugal next qualified for Euro 1996 in England, and were eliminated at the quarter-final stage. In 2000 they again made the semis before coming closest to wining the trophy last time round. As the host nation for Euro 2004, Portugal advanced to the final, but lost to Greece, who had also defeated them in the tournament’s opening game, 2-1.
Coach:
Luiz Felipe Scolari
The charismatic Brazilian – a ruthless defender in his playing days, though did not gain international honours – has been in charge of Portugal since 2003, and taken his team to a European Championship final and a World Cup semi-final. They were defeated 2-1 by Greece at Euro 2004, which they hosted, and lost out to France 1-0 at Germany two summers later.
Before his Portugal appointment, 59-year-old Scolari took his native Brazil to their record fifth World Cup title in 2002. His five years in charge of Portugal are by far the longest he has had in any one job in a nomadic career. The supposed Nottingham Forest fan has taken charge of 19 different teams in the 26 years he has been actively coaching, including stints in the Middle East and Asia.
After Germany 2006 the last of the so-called ‘golden generation’ – Rui Costa, Luis Figo and Sérgio Conceição – retired, prompting Scolari to blood a number of youngsters on the road to Austria and Switzerland. And having lost only one game in 14, expect the Brazilian to work his motivational magic again.
Goalkeepers:
Daniel Fernandes
The Canadian-born goalkeeper, now No1 at PAOK Thessaloniki after five years in Greece, is expected to be Portugal’s No3 in Austria and Switzerland. The 24-year-old Moved from Vancouver Metro to FC Porto and has also featured for Bavarian side Jahn Regensburg and Celta Vigo in Spain.
Quim
Long-time national understudy first to Vítor Baía and now Ricardo Pereira, Benfica’s Quim missed out on the 2002 World Cup due to a failed drugs test. The 32-year-old spent a decade at FC Braga before moving to Benfica in 2004. Since making his Portuguese bow in 1999 he has played 24 other times.
Ricardo Pereira
Famous for his heroics in penalty shootouts, Portugal’s No1 was an ever present figure in the qualifiers. Real Betis’ Ricardo, 32, knocked England out of Euro 2004 by first saving Darius Vassell’s spot kick then scoring one himself. After taking over from Vítor Baía, the former Boavista and Sporting ‘keeper has over 70 caps to his name.
Defenders:
Jorge Andrade
The highly-rated centre-back has missed most of the 2007/8 season after tearing a ligament, and missed eight of Portugal’s qualifiers. Before moving to Juventus last summer the classy defender enjoyed five seasons in La Liga with Deportivo de La Coruña. Like team-mates Nani and Miguel, Andrade, 30, is of Cape Verde descent.
José Bosingwa
Porto’s right-back since 2003, Bosingwa is known for his tireless stamina and pace. The 25-year-old was an Under-21 regular though he has found it hard to supplant Chelsea’s Paulo Ferreira. Bosingwa was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has been linked with a host of top European clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United.
Bruno Alves
The tall, commanding centre-back has been a fixture in the Porto starting XI since he signed from AEK Athens in 2005. Alves, 26, made his full international debut in June 2007 against Kuwait. He played in seven of Portugal’s qualifiers and scored against Azerbaijan in last October’s 2-0 away win.
Marco Caneira
A versatile defender, Caneira is at most ease as a left-back. The 29-year-old signed for Valencia in 2003 and has played over 40 times for the Spanish club, though he spent 2006/7 on loan back at his first club, Sporting Club de Portugal. As well as playing in Spain and Portugal, Caneira has also plied his trade in France and Italy.
Ricardo Carvalho
The classy centre-back was named defender of the tournament when Porto, guided by Jose Mourinho, won the 2003/4 Champions League. An imperious Euro 2004 was next before Carvalho followed his manager to Chelsea that summer for £20m and has been a mainstay since. The 30-year-old is viewed as a worthy successor to legend Fernando Couto.
Fernando Meira
The 30-year-old made his Portugal debut in 2000 but, after missing out on making the 2006 World Cup squad, earned a recall under Scolari. Meira has played centre-back for German club Stuttgart since 2002, and even captained them to the Bundesliga trophy in 2006/7. Played in seven of Portugal’s qualifiers.
Miguel
Valencia’s utility defender Miguel is rated highly by Scolari, and featured in 10 of the qualifying games. Miguel played over 100 games for Benfica before moving to Spain in 2005. Born in Lisbon, Miguel, 28, first played for his country in February 2003 against Italy. He signed a new five-year deal at Valencia last December.
Paulo Ferreira
The Chelsea right-back found a starting place hard to come by in the last season at club level, and faces similar problems in the Portugal team, with Miguel his chief competition. Ferreira, 29, amassed 27 U-21 caps before making his full international debut in 2002. He has over 40 caps, and played eight full games in the qualifying campaign.
Pepe
Brazilian-born Pepe, 25, spent three years at Porto before moving to Real Madrid for €30m in June 2007. In his first season, en route to the La Liga title, the classy, tall centre-back earned a handful of man-of-the-match awards, including in the 1-0 away win against Barcelona. Only made his Portugal debut in November 2007 against Finland (0-0), but should be the future of his adoptive country’s defence.
Jorge Ribeiro
The younger brother of midfielder Maniche, Ribeiro is Boavista’s right-back and will only be used as a back up by Scolari at Euro 2008. The 26-year-old made his international debut back in 2002 but has only eight caps to his name. The Benfica trainee has experience of the Russian and Spanish leagues.
Midfielders:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Still only 23, Ronaldo has been the focal point for Portugal since he made his debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003, having, a month earlier, taken over David Beckham’s No7 shirt at Manchester United. Having honed his breath-taking skills, Ronaldo is one of the most dangerous attackers in world football and has the accolades to prove it. Top-scored for Portugal with eight goals in qualifying.
Deco
The naturalised Brazilian, born in São Paulo, did not gain as much playing time as he would have liked at Barcelona this season, but played 10 times in Portugal’s Euro 2008 qualifiers. The 30-year-old scheming playmaker joined the Catalan club in 2004 and made his Portugal bow in March 2003 against his home county, Brazil.
Manuel Fernandes
Defensive midfielder Fernandes, 22, moved to Valencia from first club Benfica for £17m last summer, though he was loaned out to Everton from January. Born in a Lisbon suburb, Fernandes used to kick about in the streets with fellow international Nani. Featured for only 30 minutes in the qualifiers.
Maniche
The central midfielder earned his moniker from Benfica's 1980s legendary Danish forward Michael Manniche, and started out as a winger at Benfica. The 30-year-old has featured for Serie A winners Inter Milan this season, having been loaned out by Atletico Madrid. Played in eight qualifiers and has over 40 Portugal caps to his name.
João Moutinho
Moutinho has been touted as the natural successor to Rui Costa’s – Portugal’s attacking midfield star of the 1990s and early 2000s. The 21-year-old joined his club, Sporting, when 13, and is now captain. He played in six Euro 2008 qualifiers and has been linked to Manchester United, such is his promise.
Nani
The tricky winger moved from Sporting to Manchester United for £17m last summer, and has impressed with a handful of scorching goals. Born in Cape Verde, Nani, 21, played two seasons in Lisbon for Sporting and made his international debut against Denmark in September 2006, a game in which he scored. Played nine games in the qualifiers.
Petit
Combative and clever, Petit has been an important part of the Portugal midfield since he made his debut in 2001. The 31-year-old was born in France, though he has never played his club football outside Portugal – he has starred for Gil Vicente, Boavista, and, since 2002, Benfica. Also known for his direct free-kicks.
Ricardo Quaresma
The coveted 24-year-old forward, who can play on the left, right or more centrally, has been on the books of Porto since moving from Barcelona in 2004. Quaresma came up through the youth ranks at Sporting and has great pace and dribbling speed, though he missed out on Germany 2006. Played in all but three qualifiers for Portugal.
Raúl Meireles
Porto’s central midfielder Meireles is known for his clever passing and his long-range shooting, and played in five of Portugal’s Euro 2008 qualifiers. The 25-year-old was a member of the 2004 Under-21 team who came third in the European Championships. He has previously played for CD Aves and Boavista.
Simão
Winger or forward Simão moved to Atlético Madrid in July 2007 for €20m from Benfica, where he was captain. The 28-year-old started out at Sporting before moving to Barcelona, where he spent two years and played 46 times. Simão scored three goals from eight games in qualifying. He made his international bow in November 1998 when he scored against Israel.
Tiago
Central midfielder played last season for Juventus, and has had stints with Benfica, Chelsea and Lyon, collecting seven domestic trophies along the way. Tiago, 27, played eight qualifying games and made his Portugal debut in 2002. He featured in five games at Germany 2006, and didn’t score his first international goal until March 2007.
Miguel Veloso
The 22-year-old began his career as a centre-back but is now more accustomed to a defensive midfield role. Veloso has been at Sporting since he was 14, and moved from rivals Benfica – the club where his father was a defender. He played in four games on Portugal’s route to Euro 2008 and many top European club have been monitoring his progress.
Forwards:
Hugo Almeida
The pacey and powerful Almeida has been playing in the German Bundesliga with Werder Bremen for the past two seasons with much success. The 24-year-old netted twice in four Euro 2008 qualifiers. The 6’3” striker was on the books of Porto for four years and won the Superliga in 2006.
Luís Boa Morte
The 30-year-old forward is the only member of the squad who has never played in Portugal. Boa Morte, who is most effective on the wing, started his career at Arsenal in 1997. He has played at Southampton, Fulham and West Ham United – where he played in 2007/8 – since. He made his international debut in 2001 but did not feature in any qualifying games.
Nuno Gomes
Prolific striker Gomes began his career in 1994 with Braga before moving in 1997 to Benfica, where he spent three seasons and scored 60 goals. Two years in Italy with Fiorentina followed before returning to Benfica. After the retirement of Pauleta, Gomes, 31, will lead the line for Portugal. Scored three goals in 10 qualifying matches.
Hélder Postiga
The striker, 25, was once the great hope of Portuguese football after winning a league and cup double as well as the Uefa Cup in Jose Mourinho’s Porto team. An £8m transfer to Tottenham followed in 2003, though Postiga failed to impress and moved back to Porto. Scored against England in Euro 2004 to take the quarter-final to penalties.
Ariza Makukula
Born in Zaire, the tall forward is chiefly used by Scolari as a substitute. In this role he scored one goal in three qualifying matches. Makulkula, 27, has played for nine different clubs, and has tasted life in Spain and France. Was on the books of Benfica last season, though he seldom featured.
