On Tuesday June 18th 2024 Portugal take on Czech Republic in what is both sides opening game at the European Championship. Portugal are a side that will be looking to get to the latter stages of this tournament and have a very strong squad going into the tournament containing some of Europes biggest names. Czech Republic may not have as strong a squad as Portugal nor will they stand a realistic chance of winning the tournament however, they are certainly no mugs going into this game. Both teams have some imposing, physical players in their teams which sets this up to be an interesting battle on the pitch. Contrastingly, Portugal have some of the most technical players in Europe with the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Vitinha which creates a sense of unpredictability when thinking about the style of football we will see on the pitch.
For Portugal, this tournament is extremely important. This summer marks 8 years since Portugals historic European Championship campaign in which they beat France 1-0 after extra time to claim the trophy. They will be wanting to reclaim their title as European champions and with their team, they will certainly believe they have the ability to do so. It is also a landmark tournament for one of the greatest players to ever play the game, Cristiano Ronaldo. The sporting icon has just turned 39 and it is looking likely that this tournament will be his last in a Portugal shirt, and due to missing the majority of the 2016 final because of an injury in the opening stages, he will be hungry for success this time around.
For the Czech Republic, this is a tournament that they will see as an opportunity to make their mark in Europe once again. Despite not being the largest of countries or being known for their talented footballers, they have produced some gems over the years and it has shown in their performances at past tournaments. Czech Republic have had some extremely impressive results at the Euros, finishing runners up in 1996 and reaching the semi-finals in 2004 along with 2 quarterfinal finishes in 2012 and 2020. This proves they are not a nation to be looked over in these tournaments and gives them an edge as underdogs when it comes to playing the big nations so they certainly won’t fear anyone they play, setting this up to be a great tournament for them.
With both teams having some clear strengths and not many noticeable weaknesses this game is set up to be an enjoyable clash between two well seasoned and highly experienced European teams.
Robbie Talks Football 