Euro 2020: 5 reasons why Portugal could win the tournament
Portugal have one of the strongest squads going into Euro 2020. Led by the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese side is packed with match winners. But drawn to what could be called the Euro 2020 'group of death', they embark on a tough journey from the get go.
Portugal, France, Germany and Hungary populate Group F. Portugal, France and Germany are three among the strongest international sides in the world. Two top teams from each group will proceed to the Round of 16 and they will be joined by four of the best third-placed teams from all six groups.
Portugal have named a star-studded squad for Euro 2020
While Germany have underperformed in recent years, Portugal and France have struck gold in international tournaments. Portugal will undoubtedly need to put their best foot forward but they have usually performed well in high-stakes situations in recent times.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Portugal could win Euro 2020.
#5 Portugal have been consistently good in Europe over the past few years
Portugal have been one of the most dominant sides on the continent over the past five years as they prepare to defend their crown at Euro 2020. They beat teams like Croatia, Wales and France on their way to winning the Euros in 2016. Cristiano Ronaldo co. would then go on to win the first edition of the UEFA Nations League in 2018-19.
They couldn't get past the Round of 16 stage in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and couldn't qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals in the 2020-21 season. But then again, there are plenty of strong sides in Europe and to have won two major trophies in the span of four years is quite an achievement in itself.
Euro 2020 is thus a crucial platform for Portugal. They will look to establish themselves as the team to beat in Europe. They have been able to defy the odds in recent times and will look forward to doing the same as they defend their European title.
#4 Portugal's squad depth
Portugal have one of the most complete squads heading into Euro 2020. They have a wealth of talent all across the pitch. Fernando Santos will in fact have a problem on his hands trying to zero in on a starting XI from an extremely talented group of players.
Having a lot of quality on the bench also helps Santos be tactically flexible during games and enables better in-game management. The Portuguese players are known for their technical proficiency and that will add a lot of value to the side over the course of the tournament.