Meridian Cup team guide: Portugal

By Hugo Pietra

Click here for Portugal's team page.

Having finished third in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in 2003/04, Portugal go into the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup in good heart.

Czech test
Carlos Dinis' side began their final preparations for the tournament in November with two friendlies against the Czech Republic; one was won 2-0 with Jõao Pedro and Bruno Gama on target, the other finished 1-1, RC Lens striker Julien Araújo rescuing a draw with a late equaliser. Dinis has also overseen a number of coaching sessions, including a two-day session to allow him to observe a number of new candidates for his party to Turkey. "I definitely found some more players for the squad," said Dinis after those sessions.

THE COACH
Dinis has served as a coach within the Portuguese Football Federation for the last eight years, working with a number of different sides in both men's and women's football. In his first season, 1997, the Under-18 side reached the final of their UEFA European Championship, before six years later, he helped the U17 side lift the European crown for their age group as assistant coach.

Club career
Dinis began his coaching career in 1973 with the Lisbon association's youth teams, and went on to work for a number of Portuguese clubs at both senior and junior level. He joined Sporting Clube de Portugal in 1988 on a long-term contract to work with the club's youth sides before taking over as head coach of Atlético CP in 1995, where he stayed util 1996/97.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portugal qualified for the 2005 Meridian Cup by defeating England 3-2 on penalties after the third-place play-off at the 2004 European U17 Championship finals had finished 4-4 after extra time. FC Porto midfield player Bruno Gama was the star performer at the finals, finishing as his side's top scorer with three goals.

Budding talent
Nuno Coelho has come into Dinis' reckoning since those finals, having given an ample illustration of his talent with SC Covilhã's youth team. The midfield player made his U18 debut in November, and was thought to be a target for Chelsea FC, but eventually decided to move to Porto. The UEFA Champions League holders supply seven of Portugal's 18-man squad in all.

ROUTE TO THE FINALS
Portugal went into the 2004 European U17 Championship as holders, but began the finals in France in underwhelming fashion as a disciplined Austrian side ground out a goalless draw in Tours. Portugal's hopes of defending their crown seemed to be fading after the second round of matches, when England recorded a 3-1 victory to leave the holders on the brink of elimination.

Meridian prize
However, Dinis' side found their form in the third and final round of matches, overwhelming Ukraine 4-0, and England's victory against Austria in the section's other match meant that Portugal squeezed through to the last four. However, their luck ran out in the semi-finals as hosts – and eventual winners – France recorded a 3-1 victory, although there was some consolation for Portugal in their subsequent shoot-out success against England that confirmed their place in the Meridian Cup.

Honours in UEFA youth competitions:
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Runners-up 2003
UEFA European Under-18 Championship
Winners 1994, 1999
Runners-up 1988, 1990, 1992, 1997
UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Winners 2003
UEFA European Under-16 Championship
Winners 1989, 1995, 1996, 2000
Runners-up 1988

Other honours:
FIFA World Youth Cup (Under-20)
Winners 1989, 1991