Decoding Portugal's Euro 2024 Squad and Tactics

The Portugal Euro 2024 team has been unveiled, with Roberto Martinez choosing to confirm his 26 players before the competition in Germany.

The 2016 European winners are among the favourites heading to Euro 2024. Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing in his sixth European Championship, while Roberto Martinez will take over the dugout from Fernando Santos, who guided them to victory in 2016. Ronaldo will seek to add another international medal, while the Spanish manager will look to accomplish what he could not do as manager of Belgium and win a big tournament.

And the Portugal Euro 2024 team is very talented. Portugal has a substantial opportunity to match their feats from eight years ago thanks to Joao Cancelo and Ruben Dias in defence, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Joao Palhinha in midfield, and Diogo Jota, Raphael Leao and Joao Felix in attack.

Portugal will initially aim to pass the Euro 2024 groups easily, something they will be sure of given that Group F includes Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Georgia, first-time qualifiers.

Portugal Euro 2024 squad: The final 26-man team

GK: Rui Patricio (Roma)

GK: Jose Sa (Wolves)

GK: Diogo Costa (Porto)

DF: Nelson Semedo (Wolves)

DF: Antonio Silva (Benfica)

DF: Danilo Pereira (PSG)

DF: Joao Cancelo (Barcelona)

DF: Ruben Dias (Manchester City)

DF: Pepe (Porto)

DF: Goncalo Inacio (Sporting Lisbon)

DF: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United)

DF: Nuno Mendes (PSG)

MF: Joao Palhinha (Fulham)

MF: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

MF: Otavio (Al Nassr)

MF: Ruben Neves (Al Hilal)

MF: Vitinha (PSG)

MF: Joao Neves (Benfica)

MF: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

FW: Goncalo Ramos (PSG)

FW: Joao Felix (Barcelona)

FW: Rafael Leao (AC Milan)

FW: Francisco Conceicao (Porto)

FW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)

FW: Diogo Jota (Liverpool)

FW: Pedro Neto (Wolves)

The possible knockout stage opponents of Portugal

Portugal is in one of those situations where, should they win Group F, three opponents from other groups will be available. Examples of this may include Switzerland, Croatia, and Serbia. If they win, they may play in the semi-finals against the Netherlands or Slovakia instead of Spain or Germany. If they get to the championship game, Portugal and France may play the 2016 Euro final rematch.

Portugal's key players for this year's European Championship

Top Euros Golden Boot candidate for Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo

This leaves just one choice. In the Euro 2024 qualification, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the second most goals; Romelu Lukaku (14) scored more than him. Three of those goals came from the penalty spot, giving Ronaldo an extra chance to increase his total.

Ronaldo has been scoring goals nonstop since moving to Saudi Arabia. However, he has been out of the limelight lately. For Al Nassr, 39-year-old Ronaldo has scored 30 goals in 33 games overall, including 23 in 22 league games.

Ronaldo is the highest goal scorer in men's international football history with 128 goals, having scored in six of Portugal's nine Euro 2024 qualifying games. Of them, twenty-two have come in big competitions; Ronaldo has scored in every one of his ten World Cup/European Championship games.

Primary Portuguese playmaker: Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes concluded the Euro 2024 qualification with eight assists ahead of all other players. And that is not surprising. Whatever one may make of his demeanour, Fernandes is among Europe's most inventive players.

In the top five leagues of Europe, only Kevin Stöger (127) produced more opportunities than Fernandes (114). Of those 114, 75 came from open play; Martin Odegaard was the only Premier League player to create more (88). But that means Fernandes has produced 39 opportunities from set play, making him a genuine danger in many game spheres.

Regarding big competitions, Fernandes has three assists in the 2022 World Cup, two of which came in the 3-2 victory over Ghana.

Portugal card magnets & elite tacklers: Joao Palhinha

Adhering to the Premier League concept, Joao Palhinha is the best tackler in Europe this season. At 152 tackles, the Fulham player leads all players who have made at least 100 tackles in the top five leagues in Europe.

Palhinha has made 110 tackles but has 52 fouls and a high yellow card percentage. One less of the Premier League record, the midfielder has been booked 13 times. This season, the top five leagues in Europe have reserved Iván Alejo (17), Leandro Paredes (15), and Luca Ranieri (14).

Portugal's emerging star Joao Neves

This event may raise Joao Neves's price tag by another zero. Numerous European teams already have the Benfica youngster on their wishlists, so the club has had to clarify a few things.

Benfica denied in a statement issued in January that they had begun discussions with Manchester United regarding Neves. Manager Roger Schmidt of Benfica said a month before that the team would not sell the midfielder during the winter transfer window.

Portugal Tactical Analysis

Roberto Martinez switched to a back four for Portugal after beginning with a 3-4-3, which will be his strategy moving forward. The crucial issue is thus whether he deploys a front two or simply one striker. He has used two extensively, but other than that, Martinez has always employed one striker—even when he has a back three.

That is a component of a three-person assault in which Bernardo Silva and Rafael Leao flank Ronaldo in the centre. That is expected to carry over to the Euros this summer, but Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix provide alternative middle-range options.

Similarly, the midfield three selects itself. Bruno Fernandes will start on one side of Joao Palhinha at the base of the midfield. Sometimes, Otavio is the third midfielder, but Vitinha can only receive the call. This enables Portugal to switch to a midfield two when they have the ball, enabling Fernandes to join the assault and create from an advanced position.

There is then the defence. Though Diogo Costa has the goalkeeper position locked down, Rui Patricio will look to outshine him. Portugal will probably have more ball control, with Joao Cancelo playing on the left while Nelson Semedo offers breadth on the right. One of the centre-backs will be Ruben Dias, but his partner will be intriguing. Goncalo Inacio, 22, is young; does Martinez opt for his experience, 41-year-old Pepe?

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