Euro 2012: Team Profile Portugal(Know The participating Team Portugal)

There is less than 12 hours to begin the world’s one of the most exciting tournament euro Cup 2012 where all 16 qualified European giants will fight for the cup.

www.anantasports.com is bringing the profiles of all the participating team to its readers and here it is Portugal. Portugal is taking part in the tournaments under the guidance of coach Paulo bento. 

Paulo Bento's side qualified for Euro 2012 afsecuring second position after Denmark and later played play off against Bosnia to win,Portugal got off to a dismal start to their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, losing five points in their first two games as Agostinho Oliveira replaced suspended coach Carlos Queiroz on the bench. Paulo Bento then took over and brought with him some much-needed stability. 

Play-off opponents Bosnia travelled to Lisbon optimistic having ensured Portugal failed to notch an away goal in Zenica. But they were blown away spectacularly, 6-2. Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani slammed in fine shots past Asmir Begovic in the first half, while Ronaldo added another after the break before old-stager Helder Postiga struck twice either side of a superb Miguel Veloso set-piece.

Portugal Football Team for Euro 2012

Portugal took part of the first European Championship, in 1960, where they reached the quarter-finals of the competition after defeating East Germany. It would take them 24 years to return to the finals, and they did so convincingly, reaching the semi-finals of the competition.

Still a raw wound to everyone involved, players and supporters alike, Portugal managed to reach the final of Euro 2004 on home soil - only to lose against 100-1 tournament outsiders Greece. They have only played in four other editions of the tournament.

Third place in 1966 in England after beating the Soviet Union 2-1. They also reached the last four in Germany in 2006, where they were knocked out by France, and have only played in three other World Cup tournaments.

Coach: Paulo Bento 

Paulo Bento took over as Portuguese coach in 2010, just six years after retiring as a player. Now 42, Bento was suspended for five months - along with Abel Xavier and Nuno Gomes - due to bad behaviour in the Euro 2000 semi-final loss to France. Amid great success with Sporting Lisbon, in 2008 he was linked with becoming Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's new assistant.

Taking control of the Seleccao is only Paulo Bento’s second coaching experience at senior level, after guiding Sporting Lisbon from 2005 to 2009

Portugal Coach Paulo Bento

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Though the striker and Captain have played wonderfully for his Club Real Madrid this season he had hardly shown same performance for his Nation However, his showing in the second play-off game against Bosnia was evidence that he can show his true colours for the national team and that he will be a player to watch at the Euro 2012 finals.

The Real Madrid star was given the armband when Carlos Queiroz took over and he has been doing a good job as Seleccao’s skipper, even during the team’s most difficult moments. Arguably approaching peak age for a footballer, Ronaldo is perhaps the most iconic player at these finals, and his speed, technique and powerful right foot have become key elements on Portugal’s left wing.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo

Player to Watch: Ricardo Quaresma

Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea. Ricardo Quaresma has represented some of the biggest clubs in Europe, but never truly made it big. Hyped as a gifted young talent upon making his Portugal debut in 2003, the winger has failed to live up to expectations. But, still, there is hope. Now playing for Besiktas in Turkey, Quaresma was called up to the national squad in 2010 - after a two-year absence - and played in four of Portugal's qualifiers. This is his last-chance saloon.

portugal Player Ricardo Quaresma

How Portugal Qualify for Euro 2012:

After securing Second position in Group H Portugal played draw against Bosnia in Bosnia’s Home ground while they demolish optimistic Bosnia and secured place in Euro 2012 by  6-2 victory in Lisbon.

GROUP H	GP	W	D	L	GD	PTS
1	Denmark (Q)	8	6	1	1	9	19
2	Portugal (Q)	8	5	1	2	9	16
3	Norway	8	5	1	2	3	16
4	Iceland	8	1	1	6	-8	4
5	Cyprus	8	0	2	6	-13	2

 Results Of Qualifying Matches:

Sep 3, 2010 Portugal 4-4 Cyprus
Sep 7, 2010 Norway 1-0 Portugal
Oct 8, 2010 Portugal 3-1 Denmark 
Oct 12, 2010 Iceland 1-3 Portugal
Jun 4, 2011: Portugal 1-0 Norway
Sep 2, 2011: Cyprus 0-4 Portugal
Oct 7, 2011: Portugal 5-3 Iceland
Oct 11, 2011: Denmark 2-1 Portugal
Nov 11, 2011: Bosnia 0-0 Portugal
Nov 15, 2011: Portugal 6-2 Bosnia

Jersy:

Brand: Nike
Home Jersey: Red and green stripes on both sleeve
Away Jersey: White with red and green cross

Portugal Home and Away Jersy

Squad of Portugal For Euro 2012:

Coach: Paulo Bento

Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon), Eduardo (Benfica), Beto (Cluj)

Defenders: Bruno Alves (Zenit St. Petersburg), Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid), Joao Pereira (Sporting Lisbon), Pepe (Real Madrid), Rolando (FC Porto), Ricardo Costa (Valencia), Miguel Lopes (Braga)

Midfielders: Joao Moutinho (FC Porto), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Raul Meireles (Chelsea), Ruben Micael (Zaragoza), Custodio Castro (Braga), Hugo Viana (Braga)

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas), Helder Postiga (Zaragoza), Nani (Manchester United), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas), Silvestre Varela (FC Porto), Nelson Oliveira (Benfica)

Style of play: Paulo Bento has used a number of different formations, but he tends to favour a 4-3-3 with a three-pronged attack led by Helder Postiga as the front man, flanked on either side by Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani. Portugal plays with pace and keeps the ball on the ground at the feet of its speedy players, relying of quick movements down the wings. It’s their job to work the ball up front to Postiga, or to cut into the box from the flanks and create scoring chances for themselves. Miguel Veloso acts as the midfield enforcer in front of the back four, allowing Joao Moutinho to pull the creative strings in the middle of the park, and Raul Meireles to surge forward in attack