Portuguese Football in English
Fernando Santos announced his 25-man squad yesterday at Cidade do Futebol on the outskirts of Lisbon and as always, the 63-year-old miracle worker sprung a few surprises.
Fernando Santos has named his squad for the upcoming friendly matches, with Marseille centre-back Rolando’s inclusion the major surprise.
Following André Silva’s flourishing partnership with captain Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese national team’s main striker the main worry among Seleção fans has shifted from “the number 9 problem” to “what on earth are we going to do with our centre-backs”?
Who better to run through the options for Fernando Santos than PortuGOAL’s resident football analyst Tiago Estêvão, who taps into his encyclopaedic knowledge of the game throughout Europe in an attempt to second guess which central defenders Portugal will be taking to Russia for this summer’s World Cup.
Portugal beat Spain 3-2 after extra time to win the futsal European championship for the first time in their history, in Slovenia last night.
In an epic final, several parallels can be drawn with Portugal’s Euro 2016 football triumph. The Seleção overcame overwhelming odds (in 26 previous matches against Spain, Portugal had won only once), the match took place on the 10th of the month, and Portugal’s captain, talisman and best player, Ricardinho, was forced to abandon the match because of injury.
And just like in Paris 17 months earlier, after a late match-winning goal, the Portugal captain hobbled to the podium with a huge smile on his face to lift the trophy aloft.
Portugal exceeded all expectations at the 2016 European Championships, embarking on an incredible run to the showpiece event at the Stade de France. On that famous Paris night, the Seleção sought redemption for the heart-breaking defeat they had suffered in a role-reversal as Euro 2004 hosts in the final against Greece
Facing the hosts, Portugal had an uphill task in the final, but a resolute and often desperate defensive unit gave Fernando Santos’ side an outside chance of securing a shock victory.
And that is exactly what happened. With the clock ticking and a penalty shootout looming large, Eder found space just outside the French box and unleashed an effort past the hapless Hugo Lloris. It was a goal that guaranteed Eder’s spot in Portuguese folklore. Whisper it quietly, but the European champions could be set for more major glory this summer.
