Without Challengers, Cristiano Ronaldo Still Looms Large For Portugal

Think of Portugal and one name immediately comes to mind: Cristiano Ronaldo. Naming any other Portuguese players, though, is a bit harder. (Not Even Barcelona is Off Limits for Cristiano Ronaldo)

And that lack of squad depth has long been Portugal's problem.

Ronaldo admitted after Portugal's disappointing group-stage exit at the 2014 World Cup that maybe the team was just average, despite its flatteringly high FIFA ranking. It is currently ranked fourth in the world.

The Real Madrid striker makes a competent but ordinary Portuguese team shine. Now 30 years old and less likely to charge flat-out at defenses, Ronaldo doesn't have an heir.

The two-time world player of the year leads a Portugal team that reached the semifinals at Euro 2012. It is the only team to lose a European Championship final on its own turf, falling to Greece at Euro 2004.

Portugal made a disastrous start to its Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, losing 1-0 at home against Albania in a game that Ronaldo missed. That brought the departure of coach Paulo Bento and the arrival of Fernando Santos, who steered the Portuguese to automatic qualification as group winner and has nurtured a new generation that is beginning to blossom.

Santos was appointed despite his FIFA ban for verbally abusing match officials at the Brazil World Cup while coaching Greece.