Portugal: Road to Euro 2012

Cristiano Ronaldo makes a big difference for Portugal and it wouldn't be wrong to say their hopes rest on the forward's form. Ronaldo was Portugal's top scorer in its Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, with seven goals in eight games, and is the country's third-highest scorer with 32 goals in 87 appearances.

Portugal's problem, however, is that the squad lacks depth and, beyond Ronaldo, top-class talent. Portugal coach Paulo Bento has admitted it will be a big ask at Euro 2012 to get Portugal beyond the group stage - a hurdle it has never before failed to clear - given that they are in the group of death with the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. All three countries they are pitted with are past winners of the tournament while Portugal are still chasing their maiden international title.

If they are set for a tough road in the Euros there passage to the Euro finals was also anything but easy. Portugal started their qualifying campaign with a 4-4 draw against Cyprus and a 1-0 loss against Norway, securing only a point from its first two games. It was only after Bento replaced Carlos Queiroz as coach in September 2010 that their campaign came back on track and the team racked up five straight victories - 3-1 wins over Denmark and Iceland respectively followed by a 1-0 victory against Norway, a 4-0 hammering of Cyprus and a 5-3 win over Iceland. However, a 2-1 loss against Denmark in the last qualifier meant their opponents topped the group and Portugal had to be content with earning a playoffs spot that too marginally, beating out third placed Norway only on goal difference.

In the playoffs, Portugal were held to a goalles draw by Bosnia and Herzegovina in their away clash but came back strongly in their home game registering a 6-2 win.