Road to Qatar As the draw has just finished, i've created a thread where we can discuss Portugal on its road to November in Qatar. Group Stage Schedule: Thursday, November 24th VS Ghana Monday, November 28th VS Uruguay Friday, December 2nd VS South Korea
I can’t believe we went from the brink of elimination to in a group with Uruguay, Ghana, and South Korea None of these groups pop out to me as a group of death, crazy
I'd say let's get revenge but we aren't particularly good at it. Even Ghana in 2014 were ripe to get scored on and we failed to make up the GD. That said all the teams are beatable for us if we play to win. If we play to Santos then we are in big trouble. We cross over after with Brazil's group who don't appear to have any slouches either.
The worst disaster in the history Portuguese soccer. They had such a great team they could have won the World Cup in 2002. They took the USA team for granted in the first match and got humiliated. Played amazing against Poland then try to settle for a tie against the most overrated team in the history of the World Cup. The undisciplined pre Scolari days. What the hell was wrong with Joao Pinto with that reckless tackle. The second foul by Beto was not a red. Even with 2 men down they had enough talent to beat that shit team.
The worst part of the 2002 world cup was the blatant favouritism shown to Korea. Pinto deserved the red but Beto didn't and the Koreans were getting away with hacking all game. Hitting the post and Nuno Gomes laying an egg on a golden chance still depresses me. The US were going to lose that game if there was an extra 20 minutes as Portugal started playing their best near the end of the game and the US was clueless on how to stop them but the clock ran out on a very embarrassing loss. For some reason we didn't bother to learn from those mistakes when we played them again, which is why I have my doubts on us getting revenge on anyone.
Brazil's group looks the most dangerous, One giant and 3 teams that can catch anyone if they are sleeping.
That 2014 game, we had no Pepe, Fabio or Patricio. Ronaldo was also carrying an injury and that team had much less talent than the 2002 team.
I know some people see the 2002 WC as the high watermark of our greatest generation. Personally I don't, not to sound shocking but I wonder if some of those guys would even make the NT now. Our academies/camps are totally different. You can't compare 2002 to now. Defenders still stood at the goalposts back then. 2014 WC, ugh. What a disappointment.
With the political tensions between the USA and Iran, how are they even allowed to be in the same group? Yikes.
Meh. Easy group imho. We could meet up against Argentina in finals. Lol! I agree with santos, he needs to take more risks. ( Remember 2004? Should have won a title but scolari cost us.)
The reason why 2002 was a good opportunity because that World Cup was probably one of the weakest field of teams. Look at the semi-finals. You had South Korea, Turkey, Germany and Brazil. That German team was weak.
Korean here. I'm all for Santos and Bento forming a coalition haha. Jokes aside - best of luck in the WC. Managers of Korea and Portugal, Paulo Bento and Fernando Santos who'll be facing each other at #Qatar2022, have a special relationship. Santos was the Sporting CP manager in 2003/04, Bento's last season as a player. Here's a photo of two of them in Qatar earlier today (📸: FPF). pic.twitter.com/beUXO1BtLW— Steve Han • 한만성 (@realstevescores) April 1, 2022
Ah yes 2002......Remember being a young 13 year old waking up 30 minutes late, turning on the TV and seeing the 3-0 score to the USA. Figured I was dreaming until I turned the TV off/on again. The direct consequences of Prostitutes and high life shenanigans in Macao. The South Korea loss was painful, down to 9 men and we finally started playing proper footy and destroyed them for 30 minutes: Gomes missing a complete sitter, Conceicao off the inside of the post, Figo (playing injured it must be said) just missing a freekick, multiple shots from in close..The idiot left Rui Costa on the bench as well after he came on vs Poland and demolished them. 2014: Horrible team with a Ronaldo risking his career on one leg, Paulo Bento even admitted years later if he could go back he would make completely different selections (not like it would have changed too much). Coentrao blowing his hamstring, Patricio injured, Pepe red card...the first game essentially ruined any aspirations we had of getting out of the group. Regarding this tournament: We're one of the top 4 teams on paper, no questions asked. It's the constant lack of dynamic cohesive assertive play, coupled with our continued sense of being underwhelming when in action that plagues us. Don't know what to expect. Ghana is pretty poor compared to what they were: A defense ripe for the picking, Partey in midfield and not much else, a soft front line with maybe a young Gyan from Roma that could pose a bit of threat. Uruguay's strike force wont be nearly as dangerous as their both in their mid 30's, and Godin is not aging like fine wine like Pepe, however their midfield is solid with Valverde/Bentacur/Vecino/De Arrasceata/Torreira and Gimenez/Araujo form a solid duo at the back. We're infinitely better than in 2018 but with how we play under Santos they could shithouse a win against us with a Darwin winner. South Korea and Paulo Bento: Vengeance will be sweet, but we need to ensure we lock down Son, and if he is shackled then the Hwang's from Bordeaux and Wolves won't do much. Other than that we're light years ahead in every position and need to show it on the pitch to get a emphatic result. We'll either get first place, or struggle and barely make it if not completely crash out.
Portugal played really well in the qualifiers for 2002. I’ll go so far as to say that’s probably the best we have played alongside Euro 2000. We destroyed Holland away from home, and they had a great team. We all thought a trophy was up for the taking. Figo got injured and it all went to shit.
We had an insanely difficult group to qualify from as well. A Dutch team in their prime that went far in 98 and 00, filled with World Class talent. The last really good Irish team as well.
2002 didn’t our player on the lash and screwing hooker in china just before kick off to the World Cup ?
I actually think our group is quite difficult, Uruguay is on the ascendency and have played really well towards the end of their qualifying campaign. They have quality players all over the pitch even if some are ageing. They also are really intense hardworking type of players and Portugal never plays well against these sides. Our first match against Ghana I think will be our easiest if there is such a thing. They weren’t good in qualifying or the Afcon and they don’t have a full time coach. It’s got all the hallmarks of a disorganised rabble. South Korea once again like Uruguay play a high intensity style of football, for me we don’t match up well with them, however if we control Son I believe that really does blunt their attacking options. I think the UEFA teams are at a big advantage to every other confederation. We will be playing 6 meaningful matches in the nations league which will make us battle hardened and I can only assume ready for the the start of the World Cup. We have a terrible habit starting slow and I think the timing of the World Cup will be of benefit to us being mid season.
So far many people on the FIFA tournament forums are predicting Portugal to not make it out of group stage. I hope as we get closer the pundits and other people in the media start thinking the same thing. Portugal seems to do well when no one picks them to go far.