Know yourself

In the past weeks, we analyzed our World Cup opponents. Now, it’s time to look at a mirror and see the weakness and strengths of our team. We shall define our goals and compare ourselves with our rival’s game style.

It’s only the 4th time that Portugal will be playing a World Cup. It’s so weird that a country with so many talented players has so little tradition in their national team.

There is no doubt that Portugal changed a lot since the last World Cup. Part of this change should be credited to its coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari. He kept some of the main players on the team and was slowly introducing the young ones. After the Euro04 premier he based his team on the chemistry founded on Porto’s players and chose talented players that had been playing together for a long time. This formula seems to work and Portugal reached the Euro04 finals. This year, they will arrive in Germany not as favorites for the title, but knowing that, if they work hard and play well, they have full conditions to win it.

Goalkeeper

Here lies Portugal’s biggest problem. It’s seems like a big problem in the whole country. Most of the goalies which play in Portugal are foreign (11 among 18). Even the people’s favorite Vitor Baía recently lost his condition as starter at FC Porto to the young Brazilian Helton. Ricardo is the best option but yet not reliable. His logical replacement Quim is not even being capped by his team. Ricardo did fine at the Euro04, but he lacks consistency. Let’s just hope that he would be at his best shape in Germany.

Defense

The defense improved a lot in the past years but it still a little vulnerable. While Ricardo Carvalho and Fernando Meira (or Caneira) makes a fine central-defense line, the right-back Miguel (or Paulo Ferreira) and the left-back Nuno Valente (or Caneira) are not as good defending as they are helping the attack. They constantly leave the defense unguarded due to their offensive skills. It’s not a major problem, but in a World Cup you can loose a game in a single mistake.

Midfield

This is Portugal’s biggest strength. Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo are at their best moment. Figo is playing well again after his transfer to Inter. Maniche can defend as well as he can attack and if he is not made a starter at Chelsea, Tiago, who recently won the French League with Lyon, could easily replace him. The only problem is Costinha. He hasn’t played for this entire semester. However, Portugal doesn’t lack options. Petit or even Manuel Fernandes could do his job. There are so many midfielders in Portugal that some names like Ricardo Quaresma, Boa Morte, João Moutinho or Simão Sabrosa don’t have a guaranteed spot in the World Cup.

With a highly skilled midfield, Portugal shall have no problems to create goal opportunities during the game.

Offense

Portugal plays with only one striker: Pauleta. He might not be among the top 5 strikers in the world be he is surely dangerous. Pauleta finished again as the French League top scorer and was nominee as its MVP. Scolari however is trying to make Cristiano Ronaldo play a little closer to Pauleta, almost as a second striker. He believes that Ronaldo could not only make the play but also score a little more.

Portugal comes to the World Cup with a team capable of reaching the final. However, to do it, they will need a fine presentation of its goalie Ricardo and the help of Pauleta’s goals. If they can do that, it won’t be a surprise to see Portugal at least among the 8 best teams in the world, after all, they have the potential to go all the way.