Euro 2004 Teams : Group A

Portugal*

For the remaining members of the ‘golden generation’ of Portuguese football including stars Luis Figo and Rui Costa - this is the end of the line: it’s win or bust this time around. A lack of discipline characterized the disappointing defeats to France at Euro 2000 and Korea at the 2002 World Cup. New man in the hot seat, Brazilian World Cup-winning coach ‘Big Phil’ Scolari will surely stand no nonsense and he just might be right man to handle the considerable home crowd pressures and get the best out of the veterans and the latest crop of existing youngsters. Portugal have no surfeit of exciting attackers, Sergio Conceicao, Christiano Ronaldo, Luis Boa Morte and Hugo Viana but the defence may still be manned by the aging and slow Fernando Couto and Jorge Costa. The two Iberian teams should progress from the group; the Portuguese nation expects but don't count on further progress.

Fixtures

Portugal v Greece June 12 17:00 KO; Estádio das Antas, Porto
Portugal v Russia June 16 19:45 KO; Estádio da Luz, Lisbon
Portugal v Spain June 20 19:45 KO; Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon

Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari

Record: Appeared in 1960, 1984, 1996, 2000; semi-finalists 1984, 2000.

FIFA Ranking

Men to watch: Luis Figo, Deco and Ricardo Quaresma.

Predictions & Latest Odds: Second round. 5/1 Betting

On the sidelines: Portugal beat Brazil for the first time in 37 years in March 2003 when newly-naturalized Porto midfielder Deco scored the only goal of the game against the country of his birth.

The Squad (Official Squad)

Goalkeepers
Ricardo (Sporting Lisbon)
Moreira (Benfica)
Quim (Braga)
Defenders
Jorge Andrade (Deportivo La Coruna)
Beto (Sporting Lisbon)
Ricardo Carvalho (Porto)
Fernando Couto (Lazio)
Rui Jorge (Sporting Lisbon)
Paulo Ferreira (Porto)
Miguel (Benfica)
Nuno Valente (Porto)
Midfielders
Costinha (Porto)
Deco (Porto)
Maniche (Porto)
Luis Figo (Real Madrid)
Petit (Benfica)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Rui Costa (AC Milan)
Simao Sabrosa (Benfica)
Tiago (Benfica)
Forwards
Pauleta (Paris St Germain)
Helder Postiga (Tottenham Hotspurs)
Nuno Gomes (Benfica)

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Greece

Greece nearly denied England an automatic place at World Cup 2002 after they had the better of a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford with only David Beckham's last-minute free kick guaranteeing England's place in Korea/Japan. Greece have shown that result was no fluke with improving performances under German coach Otto Rehhagel. They came back from defeats in their first two games to Ukraine and Spain to top their group and this new found resilience has been the key to their recent success. They are difficult to beat but lack firepower themselves. Werder Bremen’s Angelos Haristeas and Atletico Madrid’s Demis Nikolaidis will share the goal-scoring burden.

Fixtures

Greece v Portugal 12 June 17:00 KO; Estádio das Antas, Porto
Greece v Spain 16 June 17:00 KO; Estádio do Bessa, Porto
Greece v Russia 20 June 19:45 KO; Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé

Coach: Otto Rehhagel

Record: Playing in their first European finals in 24 years.

FIFA Ranking

Men to watch: Vassilis Tsartas and Zisis Vryzas.

Predictions & Latest Odds: First round casualties. 50/1 Betting

Qualifying Results

On the sidelines: Coach Otto Rehhagel has almost 30 years coaching experience in the Bundesliga and has had spells in charge at Werder Bremen, Bayern Munchen and FC Kaiserslautern.

The Squad (Official Squad List)

Goalkeepers
Konstantinos Chalkias (Panathinaikos)
Theofanis Katergiannakis (Olympiakos)
Antonios Nikopolidis (Panathinaikos)
Defenders
Nikolaos Dabizas (Leicester City)
Traianos Dellas (Roma)
Takis Fyssas (Benfica)
Giannis Goumas (Panathinaikos)
Michalis Kapsis (AEK Athens)
Giourkas Seitaridis (Panathinaikos)
Stylianos Venetidis (Olympiakos)
Midfielders
Angelos Basinas (Panathinaikos)
Stylianos Giannakopoulos (Bolton Wanderers)
Giorgios Georgiadis (Olympiakos)
Pantelis Kafes (Olympiakos)
Giorgios Karagounis (Internazional)
Costas Katsouranis (AEK Athens)
Vassilios Lakis (AEK Athens)
Vassilis Tsartas (AEK Athens)
Theodoros Zagorakis (AEK Athens)
Forwards
Angelos Charisteas (Werder Bremen)
Themistoklis Nikolaidis (Atletico Madrid)
Dimitris Papadopoulos (Panathinaikos)
Zisis Vryzas (Perugia)

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Spain

Perennial as chrysanthemums, the underachievers of European football will have to up their game to get anywhere near the final. On paper, they should be joining their Iberian cousins Portugal in escaping from Group A despite having to play Greece, who beat them 1-0 in Zaragoza in June.
Spain's goals come from a variety of sources, especially Valerón, Exteberría, Tristán, Morientes and Raúl. Good ball-skills and positioning means they are going to have the edge against teams that easily give away possession. But that's the thing about Spain, and in this one is reminded of Colombian football, you can be certain they will not play a long ball. In that sense there is no surprise; the passes will be short and the ball will be played on the ground. Opposition teams know this, or should. In the 1996 Euros, Spain outplayed England, but the home team still won the match. There still seems to be a lack of that mix of fantasy and mental strength for them to win the whole thing.

Fixtures

Spain v Russia 12 June 19:45 KO; Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé
Spain v Greece 16 June 17:00 KO; Estádio do Bessa, Porto
Spain v Portugal 20 June 19:45 KO; Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon

Coach: Iñaki Sáez.

Record: Champions 1964; runners-up 1984. Qualified in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000.

FIFA Ranking

Men to watch: Fernando Torres, Raúl.

Predictions & Latest Odds: Semi-finals. 6/1 Betting

Qualifying Results

On the sidelines: Spain have not missed out on a major tournament since Euro 92.

Spain Team Profile Euro 2004

The Squad (Official Squad List)

Goalkeepers
Santiago Cañizares (Valencia)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Daniel Aranzubia (Athletic Bilbao)
Defenders
Raúl Bravo (Real Madrid)
Joan Capdevila (Deportivo Coruna)
Cesar (Deportivo Coruna)
Gabri (Barcelona)
Iván Helguera (Real Madrid)
Juanito (Betis)
Carlos Marchena (Valencia)
Carles Puyol (Barcelona)
Midfielders
David Albelda (Valencia)
Xabi Alonso (Real Sociedad)
Rubén Baraja (Valencia)
Xavi Hernández (Barcelona)
Joaquin Sánchez (Real Betis)
Juan Carlos Valeron (Deportivo Coruna)
Vicente Rodreguez (Valencia)
Forwards
Joseba Etxeberria (Athletic Bilbao)
Raul González (Real Madrid)
Guti Alberto Luque (Deportivo Coruna)
Fernando Morientes (Monaco)
Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid)

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Russia

Russian soccer could be forgiven for recalling the “good old days” of the USSR. Having won the initial European championship in 1960, and made it to the Final on three other occasions, the former Soviet Union left a legacy that would be difficult for any country to match. Sadly, the current Russian team is very much a product of early 21st century Russia—and in no way recalls the glory days of Lev Yashin et al. Superstars head West; the rest are left behind to toil in a once great league.
This year’s squad is made up of several name players who play in Spain or England. The real surprise though may their giant up front, Dynamo’s Dmitri Boulykin.

Fixtures

Russia v Spain 12 June 19:45 KO; Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé
Russia v Portugal 16 June 19:45 KO; Estádio da Luz, Lisbon
Russia v Greece 20 June 19:45 KO; Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé

Coach: Georgi Yartsev.

Record: Won the Final in 1960 over Yugoslavia; since then Russia (as the former USSR) has participated in and lost three Finals: in 1964 to Spain, in 1970 to West Germany, and in 1988 to Holland. Qualified in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1988, 1992, 1996.

FIFA Ranking

Men to watch: Dmitri Boulykin and Alexander Mostovoi.

Predictions & Latest Odds: Will struggle to get out of the group.
50/1 Betting

Qualifying Results

On the sidelines: Dinamo Moscow striker Dmitri Boulykin scored a hat-trick in only his second appearance for the national team in the 4-1 win over Switzerland in qualifying. Could be on his way to Italy if he impresses in Portugal.

The Squad (Official Squad List)

Goalkeepers
Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow)
Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Saint Petersburg)
Sergei Ovhinnikov (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Defenders
Alexander Anyukov (Samara)
Alexei Bugayev (Torpedo Moscow)
Dmitry Sennikov (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Roman Sharonov (Kazan)
Vadim Yevseyev (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Midfielders
Yevgeny Aldonin (CSKA Moscow)
Dmitry Alenichev (FC Porto)
Vladimir Bystrov (Saint Petersburg)
Rolan Gusev (CSKA Moscow)
Marat Izmailov (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Andrei Karyaka (Samara)
Dmitry Loskov (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Alexander Mostovoi (Celta Vigo)
Vladislav Radimov (Saint Petersburg)
Igor Semshov (Torpedo Moscow)
Alexei Smertin (Portsmouth)
Forwards
Dmitry Bulykin (Dynamo Moscow)
Alexander Kerzhakov (Saint Petersburg)
Dmitry Kirichenko (CSKA Moscow)
Dmitry Sychev (Lokomotiv Moscow)

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