Either brilliant or non-existent at the European Championships finals, Portugal reached the quarter finals in 1996, the semi-finals in 2000 and were runners-up in 2004 on home turf and will hope to go one better this time around in Austria and Switzerland. Final defeat to Greece last time out must still hurt the proud Portuguese and a semi-final place at the 2006 World Cup shows that they still have the appetite to compete with the very best sides around.
With a national press buoyed by performances at Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006, the Euro 2008 qualification campaign turned into something of a damp squib for Portugal. Coach Scolari has received the bulk of the blame for poor results against most of their Group A competitors including Armenia, Finland and Serbia and having only scraped qualification in second place behind Poland, the knives are being sharpened if things don't improve this summer.
A World Cup winning coach with his native Brazil, Luiz Felipe Scolari has seen his stock rise and fall as Portuguese coach. Guiding them to the final of Euro 2004 and semi-finals at World Cup 2006, he became Portugal's most successful coach but his defensive tactics and ill-disguised contempt for the Portuguese press haven't helped as Portugal struggled for Euro 2008 qualification. Still a man for the big occasion however.
Arguably the world's greatest player at the present time, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to improve to such a level that it's hard to believe he was once dubbed a one trick pony. Scoring goals for fun and equally devastating with either foot or his head, Ronaldo is the perfect attacking footballer.
Deco hasn't had the best of seasons with Barcelona due to continued uncertainty over his position at the club and this has brought down his performance levels for Portugal. With Euro 2008 giving him the perfect shop window, Portugal will hope that he rises to the occasion and plays like the maestro he really is.
