Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal look to make a statement of intent with a win against Iceland in Saint-Étienne.
Fresh from his UEFA Champions League victory with Real Madrid, the 31-year-old is fast running out of time to pick up international silverware while still at the peak of his powers.
However, for Ronaldo to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy on July 10, he needs some help. The Portuguese enter the tournament off the back of an impressive 7-0 win over Estonia, with captain Ricardo Quaresma finding a brace and Lille’s Eder scored off the bench. That one result may not be clear indicator of Portugal’s attacking depth though, with Fernando Santos’s side only scoring 11 goals in their eight Euro qualifying matches.
Iceland qualified for the finals at the expense of the Netherlands in a tough group with the Czech Republic and Turkey. This is certainly the golden generation of Icelandic football, with players littered across Europe’s top leagues. The forward line is especially strong, with Kolbeinn Sigporsson (FC Nantes) and Alfred Finnbogason (FC Ausburg) supported by 37-year-old legen Eidur Gudjohnsen, the nation’s top-scorer.
While top spot is perhaps beyond reach for Iceland, coaches Lars Lagerback and Heimir Halgrimsson would no doubt be looking to get off to a good start against the strongest side in Group F.
Key Battle – Joao Moutinho vs Gylfi Sigurdsson
The experience of Ronaldo and Quaresma in the forward line is complemented by veteran defenders Jose Fonte and Pepe, but the midfield is an area of potential concern. Aside from Joao Moutinho, Portugal’s central midfield is populated by several talented, but very young footballers. The likes of Renato Sanches, William Carvahlo, Danilo and Andre Gomes have all made less than 20 appearances for their country, leaving Moutinho the clear leader with 84 caps.
The 29-year-old experienced a fragmented finish to his season with Monaco, missing a few weeks with hip and ankle injuries. However, Moutinho still made 26 appearances in Ligue 1 while his side secured a third-placed finish.
If Moutinho is the key cog in Portugal’s midfield, Gylfi Sigurdsson is the main man for Iceland. The 26-year-old starred for Swansea in the Premier League, scoring 11 goals in 36 matches and sweeping the club’s end of season player awards. Sigurdsson acts as a strong creative fulcrum for club and country, but can also find the net from distance with alarming accuracy.
Team News
Despite only playing 45 minutes in the win over Estonia, Ronaldo will no doubt be expected to start against Iceland. Searching for an opening day win, Santos will likely go for an attacking trio of experienced campaigners Nani and Quaresma alongside Ronaldo.
Head-to-head
These sides have met on just two occasions in Euro 2012 qualifying, with Portugal walking away with the points in two high-scoring contests – 5-3 in Porto and 3-1 in Reykjavik.
Previous Meeting
In October 2011 it was an eight-goal extravaganza in Porto as the home side ran out 5-3 winners. An early double to Nani and Helder Postiga’s 44th minute strike gave the Portuguese a three-goal lead at the break, but a double from defender Hallgrimur Jonasson created a lifeline for Iceland. However, Late goals from Joao Moutinho and Eliseu put the result beyond doubt, despite a late penalty converted by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Prediction
Portugal may not be one of the favourites in France, but the difference in quality between these two sides is clear. The Portuguese defence is one of the strongest at the tournament, and with Ronaldo in the lineup scoring should not be an issue.
Portugal 2 Iceland 0
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