“Enjoy”, he transmits to his players Roberto Martinez at the end of his talks of each match with the national team Portugalso far with 13 victories in 15 games, after revitalizing it since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with style changes, the continuity of Cristiano Ronaldothe permanence of an almost complete block and only five new features for this Euro Cup.
Apart from the right side Nelson Semedo and Wolwerhampton’s dizzying winger Pedro Neto, who had previously played for the Portuguese national team, 21-year-old central defender Gonçalo Inacio, Benfica’s 19-year-old centre-half Joao Neves and Porto’s right winger Francisco Conçeicao, 21, They have made their international debut with the new coach. Are the only five changes What about the call for the 2022 World Cup, offered by Fernando Santos, to that for the Euro 2024, by Roberto Martínez, who has supported the base then and, above all, Cristiano Ronaldo, at 39 years oldand Pepe, at 41.
He has put his trust in them, especially in the first one, for a year and a half in the Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia, with all the controversy that surrounded his last World Cup, due to the conflict he had with Fernando Santos. He left him as a reserve in such striking matches as the round of 16 and the quarterfinals of the tournament, replaced in the eleven by Gonçalo Ramos, while doubt hovered over his continuity in the Portuguese team, which today is undoubted: 13 goals in 11 games, ready from the first; on March 23, 2023 against Liechtenstein.
Their elimination in the quarterfinals 1-0 against Morocco with Cristiano Ronaldo as a substitute, highlighted an abrupt end of cycle in the Portuguese team, with an exceptional squad that did not reach further, after believing itself capable of anything with the 6-1 with which it overwhelmed Switzerland. After 109 games, Fernando Santos was fired (67 wins, 23 draws and 19 losses since his debut on October 11, 2014 with a 2-1 loss against France) to make way for Roberto Martínezwhich changed the style, but maintains the base.
* Information prepared by EFE
