England is not the only team going into Euro 2012 with the advantage of low expectations: consider Portugal. Eight years ago, the Selecção came within a whisker of winning the tournament on home soil. The Portuguese, led by the so-called “Golden Generation”of Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Fernando Couto and Pauletta were shocked 1-0 in the final by underdogs Greece. A 19-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo could only watch in frustration, his two goals in the tournament merely hinting at his great potential. In the intervening years, other world-class players like Deco have come and gone, never matching the 2004 achievement, their best ever. Going into Euro 2012, the team carries relatively light hopes. There are great players in the squad, including Real Madrid’s mighty defender Pepe and Manchester United’s skillful midfielder Nani. But a Golden Generation, this is not. Heck, they only qualified for Ukraine/Poland by the skin of their teeth, requiring a play-off against Bosnia & Herzegovina. (MORE: Why Real Madrid Can’t Beat Barca on the Field, But Leads Comfortably in the Market) Portugal does have one diamond, though: Ronaldo, now in his pomp at Real Madrid, is far and away Europe’s best player. Only a certain diminutive Argentinian at Barcelona prevents him from being hailed the best in the world. His goals were crucial to Portugal qualifying for Euro 2012, and the team’s fortunes rest mostly on his powerful shoulders. On paper, Portugal should have no chance of making it out of Group B: they face two of the tournament favorites in Germany and the Netherlands, plus an unpredictable Denmark (all four sides are in FIFA’s top 10 rankings, hence Group B’s tag as the Group of Death). And their build-up form has not been flattering. Two scoreless friendlies, against Poland and Macedonia, were followed by a 3-1 spanking at home by Turkey. (Portugal faces Germany in their opening game, this Saturday.) But while Portugal has Ronaldo, anything is possible. CR7, as his fans know him, is one of soccer’s great game-changers, capable of turning a match with a single … Continue reading Euro 2012: Can Cristiano Ronaldo Do a Maradona for Portugal?