Helder hails holders' attitude

By Diogo Teixeira

FC Porto midfield player Helder Barbosa may have had to struggle for his place in last season’s victorious UEFA European Under-17 Championship squad but this year he is an integral member of the Portuguese party travelling to France and no longer a fringe performer.

Qualification test
Despite their status as defending champions Portugal still had to qualify and were on the brink of failing to make it after an unexpected loss against Wales in Barreiro in Group 4. Carlos Dinis' side, however, came good when it mattered - winning their final game against Israel 3-0 as Wales bowed out after losing to Greece, with Helder scoring the opening goal in that crucial victory.

Possible and impossible
The turnaround was as big a relief for Helder as winning the competition on home had been special for the midfield player and has given him the taste for success, so much so that he vowed that Portugal will do everything in their power not to return home empty handed. "We will do both the possible and the impossible to lift that trophy again," he told uefa.com.

Extra responsibility
Helder was largely restricted to a substitute's role in last year's competition but is now a seasoned campaigner. The 16-year-old is aware he has extra responsibility to shoulder and is thoroughly looking forward to the challenge, anxious to pass on valuable experience to his fellow squad members. "Bruno Gama and I are the only players in the squad from last year and that give us special responsibility," he said. "Of course, I will try to transmit to my colleagues everything I learnt during my last experience. It's always good to be in these tournaments as they are very important to our formation as players."

Winning aim
Helder is convinced that the current side are just as strong as last year's crop. "Both teams are very good," he said. "I think we are equal in terms of quality and therefore we can have high expectations regarding our performance. Our aim is to win, although we know it will not be easy. However, if we play to the top of our game we will have our chances."

Viseu factor
When Portugal won the championship last year they were playing in front of their own fans and Helder is aware that defending the title will prove harder away from home. He nevertheless remains confident that his compatriots can pull through, saying: "The support that we had in Viseu was fantastic. It is very important, especially when we were up against it. But in another regard we are lucky as there is a big Portuguese community in France and we can count on them."

Serious threat
Helder believes France are Portugal's most serious rivals, precisely because of the home advantage factor. "All the teams had to play very good football to get here but France are at home and that will help them a lot," the forward said. "They are also a great team and have the quality to win."

Well-tuned
But Portugal have trained hard to put themselves in peak condition and Helder is confident that his team will not be found wanting for fitness. "We started training together this week," he said. "We are all feeling very confident and everybody is enthusiastic about the tournament. I am feeling alright but I still have to work harder. The standard of the championship is very high and we will have to give our best."