Portugal primed to hit the ground running
Sunday, June 12, 2016
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With a potentially potent blend of youth and experience, Portugal "have all it takes to do something amazing in this competition" according to their forward Éder.
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For Portugal, losing finalists in 2004 and three-times beaten semi-finalists, there is a sense of unfinished business this summer. At UEFA EURO 2016 they are seeking a first international trophy and, with one of the most exciting blends of youth and experience in the tournament, the timing feels right.
"Our biggest goal is to win the tournament," defender Cédric told EURO2016.com. "We know it will be hard, we'll have good and bad moments, but this group of players is prepared and working towards that goal."
It is a notion that finds favour with forward Éder. "That's what we're working towards. We've got huge ambition and we want to get the right results.
"We're very confident and motivated. We had an excellent qualifying campaign, with great results. The group has been working very well together, the players are playing very well. Right now, we have all it takes to do something amazing in this competition and that's exactly what we want to do."
Portugal's spine – Rui Patrício (28), Pepe (33), Ricardo Carvalho (38), Bruno Alves (34), João Moutinho (29) and Cristiano Ronaldo (31) – is complemented by a crop of exciting youngsters, including the likes of Renato Sanches, André Gomes and Raphael Guerreiro, with Guerreiro part of the squad that reached the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship final.
"We're a very strong group in this respect. This blend will show its worth during the matches and it will be very positive for us," Éder added. "The way we are playing right now, we'll score lots of goals."
With Group F opponents Iceland debutants at UEFA EURO 2016, Austria making only their second EURO appearance and Hungary in a first major finals since 1986, the pressure is on Portugal to make the early running.
"It's important to start well," Cédric acknowledged. "It's a difficult group, like all the others. It's going to be a very competitive European Championship, and that goes to show that football is increasingly even, which is great. There won't be any easy games. If we view things that way, we will be prepared to win the matches.
"We need to work hard and the whole team are ready for that. We're obviously very much looking forward to the first match."