Portugal - Group F
Portugal are more than just a one-man team aren't they? Nah, they're not. Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Cristiano 'bloody' Ronaldo.
Get to know: Portugal
Despite winning 7 of their 8 matches, none of Portugal’s matches were settled by more than a single goal. On the one hand that points towards a team who are extremely resilient in tight matches, but on the other hand it shows that qualification was anything but plain sailing for Fernando Santos’ team. You have to wonder whether Portugal will be able to keep this record up when they come up against stronger sides in the group stages although the draw does appear to have been kind to them.
In the group stages, they won 7 games, drew 0 and lost 1, scoring 11 goals, conceding 5 and ending up with a +6 goal difference.
In the draw for the main event, Portugal were placed in Group F, alongside Iceland, Hungary and Austria.
Fixtures:
June 14 vs. Iceland 7pm – Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne
June 18 vs. Austria 7pm – Parc des Princes, Paris
June 22 vs. Hungary 4pm – Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon
Goal scorers:
During qualification, the Portugal scored 11 goals
Their goal scorers were:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (5)
- João Moutinho (2)
- Ricardo Carvalho (1)
- Fábio Coentrão (1)
- Nani (1)
- Miguel Veloso (1)
Qualification Stat Truths:
- Third most wasteful finishers of any qualifier: 8.6 shots taken per goal scored.
- Joint-highest percentage of goals from inside the 6 yard box of any qualifier with 36.4%.
- None of their matches were settled by more than a single goal.
- Didn’t concede a single headed goal in qualifying.
- Joint-worst conversion in the first half of matches of any qualifier (7.1%).
- One of only two sides at the finals not to have conceded in the final 15 minutes during qualifying.
- Fouled more often than any other qualifier (14.5 times per match).
All data based on Portugal’s Euro 2016 qualification campaign. Courtesy of the Press Association.