Portugal get their Euro 2024 campaign underway on Wednesday as they take on Czechia at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig in a Group F encounter, and their talismanic captain Cristiano Ronaldo rallied his men and nation to turn their dreams into reality in Germany.
“Portuguese, Today begins another chapter in our history. I fondly remember my first day with the national team, a journey full of challenges and victories. Now, I have the honor of being alongside a team of champions, full of talent and determination. With everyone’s strength and support, we turn dreams into reality. Let’s, together, fight for another triumph. United, we are unstoppable. Go Portugal,” Ronaldo’s post read.
Portugueses,Hoje começa mais um capítulo da nossa história. Lembro-me com carinho do meu primeiro dia com a seleção, uma jornada repleta de desafios e vitórias. Agora, tenho a honra de estar novamente ao lado de uma equipa de campeões, cheia de talento e determinação. Com a… pic.twitter.com/ITTwyDtfKe— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) June 18, 2024
Ronaldo is set to make a record sixth appearance in the European championships since making his debut in the 2004 edition of the continental competition, in which Portugal missed out on the trophy to Greece in the final.
Ronaldo’s crowning Euro moment came in 2016 as Portugal clinched the coveted prize with their 1-0 triumph over France. They went on to win the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League in 2018-19 as Ronaldo picked up another title with his beloved national side.
Experienced coach Roberto Martinez will lead Portugal in the ongoing championship and the fifty-year-old will look to take the A Selecao das Quinas to the glittery prize.
The side have an incredible depth of talent across departments with high-profile players such as Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leao, Ruben Dias and so on, who are more than capable of deciding the course of games in an instant.
Portugal are pooled together with Czechia, Turkey and Georgia in their group and are strong favourites to make it out of the league stage as the top-placed team.