Euro 2024 Portugal vs Czech: Cristiano Ronaldo‘s quest for one final international trophy at Euro 2024 kicks off against Czechia on Tuesday, June 18th in a clash that could reignite his Golden Boot battle with Patrik Schick.
The 39-year-old Portuguese talisman seems as hungry as ever to add to his staggering international goal tally, after a prolific season with Al-Nassr and a brace in Portugal’s final Euro warm-up against Ireland. For Ronaldo, Euro 2024 represents potentially his last dance on the international stage alongside the twilight of teammate Pepe’s career at 41 years old.
Euro 2024 Portugal vs Czech: Cristiano Ronaldo Preparations
While Ronaldo may have moved away from Europe’s elite to play in Saudi Arabia, the goal-getting instincts of the leading scorer in men’s international football seem as razor-sharp as ever.
Having finished second-top scorer in qualifying with 10 goals and smashed 35 in 31 league games for Al Nassr last season, the seemingly ageless Ronaldo warmed up for the tournament with a brace in their final friendly against Ireland.
| Player | Goals in Qualifiers | League Goals 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 10 | 35 |
While Ronaldo lifted the trophy in 2016, he may still harbour a sense of unfinished business on the international stage. Having sat out most of that final eight years ago through injury, he failed to propel Portugal to further glory at two subsequent World Cups and Euro 2020, when they were knocked out in the last 16.
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Portugal’s Gilded Generation
This has been one of Portugal’s most gilded generations but with Ronaldo and 41-year-old defender Pepe in the twilight of their careers, Euro 2024 has the feel of a last hurrah.
With a squad bulging with talent, Portugal will be, on paper, one of the best teams in Germany. They won all of their 10 games in the qualifiers, scoring 36 and conceding twice.
| Statistic | Portugal’s Record in Qualifiers |
|---|---|
| Matches Won | 10 |
| Goals Scored | 36 |
| Goals Conceded | 2 |
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Yet their manager Roberto Martinez knows all about the pitfalls of leading a supremely talented bunch of players at international tournaments, having failed to turn Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” into tournament winners. Martinez, however, also knows he has arguably the game’s best in Ronaldo.
“We have 23 players. We create competitiveness and the game makes decisions,” he said earlier this month. “But Cristiano is prepared to help the team and give everything he can give. And there is no other player in the world of football who can bring what Cristiano can to the dressing room.”
Czechia’s Challenges and Hopes
Schick, who won goal of the tournament at Euro 2020 for his stunner against Scotland from the halfway line, will spearhead a Czech side with very different expectations.
The Czechs finished second in qualifying behind Albania, winning four of their eight matches in a group that also included Poland, Moldova, and the Faroe Islands.
| Team | Matches Won | Matches Played |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | 5 | 8 |
| Czechia | 4 | 8 |
With Schick absent from the final rounds of qualifying, they found goals hard to come by but, fresh from winning the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, he seems to have shaken off the injuries that hampered him and that could spell trouble for Portugal.
Portugal: A team of talent with a familiar challenge
- Portugal boasts a squad brimming with talent, having won all 10 qualifying matches with a staggering 36 goals scored.
- However, manager Roberto Martinez faces the challenge of replicating past success, having previously failed to win trophies with Belgium’s “Golden Generation.”
- Despite the squad’s depth, Ronaldo remains a key figure, offering unparalleled experience and leadership.
Portugal’s Impact Players
| Player | Club | League | Matches | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Leao | AC Milan | Serie A | 34 | 9 | 10 |
| Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United | Premier League | 35 | 10 | 8 |
| Bernardo Silva | Manchester City | Premier League | 35 | 6 | 9 |
| Diogo Jota | Liverpool FC | Premier League | 22 | 10 | 4 |
Czech Republic’s Impact Players
| Player | Club | League | Matches | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrik Schick | Bayer Leverkusen | Bundesliga | 24 | 7 | 2 |
| Tomas Soucek | West Ham United | Premier League | 37 | 7 | 2 |
| Vladimir Coufal | West Ham United | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 7 |
| Vaclav Cerny | VfL Wolfsburg | Bundesliga | 30 | 4 | 1 |
Schick’s return bolsters Czech Republic’s attack
- Patrik Schick, who famously scored a wonder goal from the halfway line at Euro 2020, will lead the Czech attack.
- The Czechs finished second in qualifying behind Albania, and Schick’s absence in the later stages exposed their goal-scoring woes.
- However, his recent Bundesliga title win with Bayer Leverkusen suggests he’s back in peak form, posing a significant threat to the Portuguese defence.
Match Details: Euro 2024 Portugal vs Czech
- Date: Tuesday, June 18th, 2024
- Time: 21:00 Local Time (19:00 GMT)
- Venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany
- The Group F Match between Portugal and the Czech Republic will start at 8 pm GMT on Tuesday (June 18) In India, the kickoff time of the match is: 12:30 am IST, Early hours on Wednesday, June 19
Prediction Euro 2024 Portugal vs Czech
Based on the moneyline, we predict that Portugal has a 67.2% chance of winning this match.
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