Can Martinez turn Portugal around in Euro 2024 qualifying opener against Liechtenstein?

Portugal will be looking to start their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on a high when they face Liechtenstein in Lisbon on Thursday. Under new manager Roberto Martinez, the Portuguese team will hope to forget their World Cup disappointment and lackluster performances in recent months. Martinez replaced Fernando Santos after his quarterfinal exit in the 2022 World Cup, and his selection has raised eyebrows, given his struggles to get the best out of Belgium's stellar squad. Despite the quality players at his disposal, Portugal needs major improvement under its new boss. However, their opener against the group's bottom seeds should be a breeze, with Liechtenstein holding the dubious distinction of being the worst-performing side in the recent UEFA Nations League edition with zero points in League D. Portugal’s iconic striker Cristiano Ronaldo has been selected, and ex-Man United forward Joao Felix will join him. Liechtenstein ranked 198th in the world and is winless, with 11 losses in 13 games, making it an easy competitor for Portugal. Martinez, who will lead Portugal in his first game since being appointed, has named a strong squad for the qualifiers, including Ronaldo, and Pepe will not start the first two matches due to injury, but A Selecao has enough depth to make up for it.

Logo

8020News: 80% of the news in 20% of the time.

© 2025 CompanyTermsPrivacy