The sixth and final group of this year’s Euro has a perfect mix of established powerhouses and emerging contenders. The 2016 champion Portugal is grouped alongside the 1976 title-winner Czechia, Turkey, and Georgia.
In what might be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final big-ticket tournament, Roberto Martínez’s men will look to give him the perfect sendoff.
The Martínez era has seen a significant shift from Fernando Santos’ pragmatic approach. This is a team capable of scoring four or five goals on any given day, as well as defending against an opponent’s late pushes in a close game.
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The side enjoyed the best qualification stage in Portugal’s history, winning all 10 matches. There’s a growing sense that this squad is primed for a special run.
Martínez has predominantly stuck to the back-four formula, which has not only allowed attacking fluidity but also provided a compact defence.
As proof of the squad’s versatility, Ronaldo may start the game in any of the three attacking positions, which allows Goncalo Ramos to replace him and offer fresh legs later in the second half. Rafael Leão appears to be the most stable of the three, but there is still room for rotation during the competition.
Leão will likely start on the left side of the pitch, moving Ronaldo to the No. 9 role while placing Bernardo Silva on the right. Alternatively, Ronaldo might be on the right side, with Ramos or Joao Felix in the centre.
Leão wide on the left is the only permanent positional duty, so expect a fairly flexible approach from Martínez’s starting lineup. Portugal’s central midfield role is undecided. There are a few options: Bernardo Silva moving back from attack, Otávio playing a more box-to-box role, opening a chance to young Joao Neves, or using Ruben Neves alongside another midfielder for a more defensive setup.
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Its defence, though, is more settled. Diogo Costa will likely start in goal, with Ruben Dias and Pepe in the centre of defence. The fullback positions are more flexible, allowing the coach to choose players based on the opponent and fatigue levels.
Consistent returns
Meanwhile, making its eighth consecutive Euro appearance, Czechia is placed 36th in the current men’s FIFA rankings. Having reached the quarterfinals in the last two editions, the Lokomotiva will look to advance further this time around.
For the first time since 2018, the Czechs will have a new coach, Ivan Hasek. Jaroslav Silhavy departed from the position in November last year, having led the team for five years and 56 games.
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Silhavy oversaw much of the Czech Republic’s qualification campaign, putting them in unfamiliar territory coming into the tournament. The previous head coach led them to four victories and one defeat in eight qualifiers, finishing second in Group E, level on points with top-ranked Albania, and qualifying for the group stages.
Unknowns look to make a mark
The other team in the group, Turkey, topped a qualifying group with Croatia and Wales in it. However, it lost 1-0 to Hungary and 6-1 to Austria in friendlies in March. Its squad is certainly an unknown quantity heading into the summer. There’s a lot of talent in this team, but how it comes together is a question waiting to be answered.
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It reached its third consecutive Euro finals after posting a 4-0 victory at home to Latvia on October 15. It was unable to go past the group stages in its previous two appearances but memorably made it to the semifinals in 2008, where it lost 3-2 to Germany in a thriller.
Georgia made history during the Euro qualifying rounds and reached a major football tournament for the first time. This was the eighth time it attempted to qualify for the tournament as an independent nation. The team will be skippered by Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and will look to spring surprises in the tournament.
Knockouts predictions:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo needs no introduction. Even at the age of 39, his name is still synonymous with top-of-the-line football. The former Real Madrid and Juventus star is making waves in the Saudi Pro League (SPL). Ronaldo has scored 64 goals in 69 games for Al-Nassr in all competitions since joining on a free transfer in January 2023 after leaving Manchester United. He recently broke the SPL record for most goals (35) in a season.
Kenan Yildiz
Kenan Yildiz. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Representing Turkey, Kenan Yildiz brings his talents to the international arena from his club career at Juventus. Despite being a newcomer with only three caps for the senior team, where he scored just once, Yildiz’s performance as a second striker has been noteworthy.
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