I don't think this team would have made the finals in the other bracket. Once a team invites us to break them down we just disintegrate into utter individualism. How we were playing today reminded me of the Netherlands. We would have to break down lots of teams in the 'easy' bracket right from the get-go. If we were going to make the finals, it would have been through this bracket. Playing against teams like France makes us play to our strengths.
People don't want to read a level headed opinion right now. What you said was rational and grounded in objectivity. Haven't you got the memo? It's the end of the world and we are fu$%ed from here on out. Hell, someone even said we should fire Santos. We should fire a guy that qualifies us directly in consecutive campaigns after what, 3 consecutive playoffs. He got us our first trophy, and now has 2 losses in 35 games, but yeah we should fire him, ffs people can be so stupid. Hope more people can take a breather in the next few days and realize everything is more than likely going to be okay. We have a young core that will continue to grow. I don't sit here and panic about the retirement of Pepe or Ronaldo, others will emerge. Sure another Ronaldo is not likely, but I'm a believer that having someone like CR7 on the team has it's negatives.
This is true. Neves would be putting holes through the net and the fans behind the net would need swat shields if he was given the space that William had. It was a shame Danilo couldn't be there either. The rotation system worked well in the euro.
Having to play Croatia and France to win euro 2016 was definetly not a walk in the park. Portugal had to play a Poland side that was level on points with Germany in group stage. Croatia was 1st in their group we all know how good they were and still are. Wales was first in their group too. France had to go through the Rep. Ireland, Iceland, Germany to get to the finals. They avoided Spain, Italy and Croatia. Portugal finished 3rd in their group which allowed them to qualify due to 24 teams in the tournament. What is lucky about all of this?
Just making a point at how stupid it is , all tournament winners are lucky Do people forget shit on a stick Football Greece winning at our own expense? Portugal should have had an euro long ago Which is absurd when we have cancelo semedo and mario rui
To the highlighted question: Because it was underserved and/or lucky in my opinion, obviously. Secondly: What makes you think that I can't stand the fact that Portugal won Euro 2016?? Luis Figo probably is my favorite player ever, certainly in my top 3 players to watch of all time (when he was in his prime between 1998 and 2001). If anything, I was a bit of a Portugal bandwagon fan when Cristiano Ronaldo was very young and Luis Figo was on his way out, at Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006. But yes, to be honest with you, if there's something I disliked about Portugal 2016, is the fact that Portugal 2016 created a lot of good service without playing pretty football but it was competitive service nonetheless, and Ronaldo actually wasted a lot of that good service (especially in the first two group games), and then when Portugal won the final without Ronaldo on the pitch, it turned out that Portuguese fans had the GOAT to carry them to that title... I mean, I can't respect national sides nor fans who will willingly discredit an entire national side just to inflate the value of the (overrated) player at the end of Portugal's highly competitive service at Euro 2016. So if anything, I disliked the fact that Ronaldo won Euro 2016, because I knew that Ronaldo would get credited as the leader who carried an average Portugal team to victory, which was Grade A bull. And as to my so-called hangup? It isn't much of a hangup as much as it was me reminding a Portugal fan that Portugal really wasn't good neither at Euro 2016 nor at World Cup 2018, ergo, Portugal's form being supposedly good at the Euro really had absolutely no bearing on Portugal's form at World Cup 2018. Portugal 2016: better service, but a much less clinical Ronaldo. Portugal 2018: service not quite as quietly competitive as in 2016, but Ronaldo was a lot more clinical. In other words: basically the same overrated team, except this time CR7 didn't get glorified on the back of underrated service, that is, World Cup 2018 was nowhere near as forgiving as the new format of the Euro which included 24 teams for the first time. In conclusion: Portugal is a remarkable footballing nation, obviously. A footballing nation as relatively small as Portugal, that produces Luis Figo and then Cristiano Ronaldo one after the other, is nothing short of amazing... (The best winger I ever watched, and perhaps the best well-rounded goal scorer I ever saw, which is no easy feat.) But absolutely... I think that Portugal would do itself a huge favor if it went back to being an actual national team, an actual football team, an actual national side that plays for Portugal first, for Portugal second, and for Ronaldo third... instead of primarily being Cristiano Ronaldo's personal circus. And indeed, as you might be able to tell: I do honestly take some small pleasure in watching the smoke and mirrors of Ronaldo's circus collapsing against the soul and determination of an actual national team that plays for a nation first, for a nation second, and for a nation third.
Beating arguably the best team in the world on their precious home soil without our talisman = an anomaly indeed. Easiest KO stage ever? Yeah, because those teams were not in very good form at all, right? Wales wasn't owning Belgium or anything? Croatia wasn't owning Spain? The amount of salt in your post two years after the tournament itself brings joy to a very dark day for me, thank you for this. I'm glad that we manifest in your mind so much that you (and others) have to come in our post game thread after we've been eliminated (what a coincidence) and talk about how 'easy' we had it at the EURO among other things.
I think you need to relax. It is not uncommon for a team to be built around key player(s). Ronaldo will always be supported by people in Portugal. He has raised the profile of our nation just like Eusebio, Figo and Mourinho did/do and every Portuguese person is proud of what he has achieved. It is natural to be proud of and supportive of a successful person from your country.
You don't have to explain yourself or try and counter our bullshit dude. Just trying to ruffle that other guys feathers. We're just taking some jabs at each-other, has nothing to do with you, or even the Italian team. Just sit back and laugh at the nonsense. This is the forum equivalent of getting your ass kicked out of a bar.
Welp, caught only the first 30 minutes of the game because I am at a friends wedding in Vermont. Had only service at the place I was staying at. So it sucks to see the end result of Portugal losing. Will watch the game when I get back home. Now its time to build for the future. Hopefully the CB issue can be addressed in the next 2 years before the next Euro.
Sumol's Cagao of the game Pepe scores a goal Momentum is on our side 5 minutes later Pepe's stupidity leads to another Cavani goal You can't make this S**T up.
Bernardo Silva being praised by all commentators after he moved to play as a #10...who could have saw that performance coming? Oh well.
My thoughts: Uruguay were the better team. Even though we had possession, we didn't do crap with it. Ronaldo was a no show, and so was Guedes. Bernardo's best game of the tournament. Their first goal, horrible defending by Rafa. And their second, wtf Pepe? Then Rui Patricio, wtf kind of positioning was that. That was an amateur defensive play. And our late game attacking sub was Manny Fernandes. Really? And Laxalt was a boss for Uruguay. He reminded me of Renato in 2016. But William was awesome for us again. A great tournament for him. He's a very special player.
Iberians suck at a national level. They are only good a clubs. Benfica > Portugal. Real Madrid > Spain Better scout for more talent in South America for Benfica and Porto. Why develop home grown youth? Who cares about Portugal?