Portugal vs Deutschland

Portugal take on Germany in the quarterfinals of the Euro Cup today. Am looking forward to the game, Portugal being one of my favorite teams in the tournament & Germany have always been a respected team in world football. So what we’ll have on our plates for a midnight snack tonight is Portugal’s skill vs. Germany’s mechanical precision.

Like with every other thing German, German football too is known for its precision. Not really known for their creativity (unlike, say, Brazil), the Germans plan and execute with precision. They have some good strikers in the form of Podolski & Klose who, ironically, are both Poles by birth who play for Germany. They also have a world-class midfielder in Michael Ballack. However, unfortunately Ballack has always been part of a team that has made it to the advanced stages of international tournaments, only to miss out on the championship trophy. The 2006 World Cup where a Ballack-led Germany got eliminated at the semi-final stage & the EPL 2008 final against Man U being cases in point.

Portugal on the other hand have dexterous players such as Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo, Caravalho, Nuno Gomes & Ricardo Quaresma. With the retirement of Luis Figo & a few other players after the 2006 World Cup, the Portugal team has a new & fresher look. I think Deco is one of the most underrated mid-fielders in world football. He is skilled, determined & indefatigable on field. He can single-handedly elevate the quality of the game through his brilliant assists. And of course there’s the unsuppressable Cristiano! His 42 goals in the EPL was one of the main reasons Man U won the EPL.

Tonight’s game should be an exciting one. I wish it started earlier but what the hell….tomorrow’s Friday!!