IMAGES from the UEFA Nations League matches played on Sunday.
Liverpool's Champions League winning trio of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane joined regulars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the shortlist for The Best FIFA Men's player award
Greece coach Fernando Santos will devise his tactical masterplan to upset Germany in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 in a cloud of smoke after stating on Thursday that he thinks clearer when puffing away on a cigarette.
Greece will go into the Euro 2012 last eight with a sense of pride but must keep a cool head after a roller coaster group stage saw them move from the brink of elimination to the knockout phase with a 1-0 win over Russia.
The 33-year-old Real Madrid forward's individual brilliance has glossed over Portugal's dour performances in their first two matches and Fernando Santos's side have mostly appeared like a one-man team.
'I think it's a 50-50 match. My players know that. They (Poland) are here on their own merit' 'There will be a strong strategic component to this game, because if you concede four goals nobody can ensure you can score five'
Portugal proved they can flourish without their talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo, at least on the pitch, in beating France to win Euro 2016. Coach Fernando Santos has been trying to reduce their dependency on Ronaldo and his team's ability to live without their alltime leading scorer and captain faced its ultimate test when he was went off injured after 25 minutes of Sunday's final. They passed with flying colours. Relieved of any obligation to pass to Ronaldo every time he was free or allow him to take free kicks, Portugal's players appeared less inhibited without him on the pitch.
Ronaldo went off in the first half of the Euro 2020 qualifier with an apparent hamstring injury. The match ended 1-1.
They have one of the most exciting squads around, full of proven matchwinners to take the burden off Ronaldo.
Centre-half Pepe is doubtful for Portugal's Euro 2016 semi-final against Wales on Wednesday and a decision on his fitness will be made in the morning.
Cristiano Ronaldo declined to comment on his international future after bowing out of the World Cup following Portugal's 2-1 defeat by Uruguay.
The neighbourly rivalry and the intriguing prospect of a duel between Real Madrid team mates Sergio Ramos of Spain and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo meant the Group B match was always going to be one of the highlights of the opening round.
Cristiano Ronaldo has lost count of the number of records he has broken, the Portugal forward said after scoring the 700th goal of his career.
Images from the Nations League matches played on Thursday.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos hauled off Ricardo Quaresma after the winger failed to follow his tactical instructions as they struggled to make their domination count in a 0-0 draw with Austria at Euro 2016 on Saturday.
Any sliver of a doubt over whether Cristiano Ronaldo would lead Portugal into the Euro 2016 was erased on Tuesday when he was named in their 23-man squad for the finals.
Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi will renew old acquaintances when his reigning two-times Copa America champions take on Portugal in what he expects to be a tough Confederations Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
The Euro 2020 Championship is being held across Europe for the first time in the competition's 60-year history, with 11 host cities in total.
Hosts France are aiming to win their third European Championship on Sunday when they face Portugal in the Euro 2016 final with the outcome potentially hinging on the teams' attacking talismans Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann.
Cristiano Ronaldo reacted angrily to being substituted during Juventus' win over AC Milan as he gave coach Maurizio Sarri a dirty look and walked straight down the tunnel.
Portugal head into Sunday's Euro 2016 final after another disciplined performance, proving again in their 2-0 win over Wales that they perform like a well-rehearsed orchestra rather than a solo act. That has a huge amount to do with their 61-year-old conductor and coach Fernando Santos who took charge in September 2014, vowing to put "tactics first and technical ability second".
Coach refuses to discuss Ronaldo's international future
Costa, Alba excluded from Spain squad
Portugal star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's presence makes the team a potential target for terror attacks during Euro 2016, said coach Fernando Santos.
Following is reaction to the 2022 FIFA World Cup draw, which was held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Qatar on Friday.
The 31-year-old is still recovering from the knee injury which forced him to limp out of the Euro 2016 final against France in the first half, coach Fernando Santos said.
Thousands of fans greeted Euro 2016 champions Portugal as they landed in Lisbon on Monday, chanting the name of goal hero Eder, whose extra-time screamer sealed the 1-0 victory over France.
Portugal will look to their Euro 2020 opener with Hungary to get a head start
Europe is preparing for UEFA's first full-blown 'week of football' as the marathon Euro 2016 qualifying competition gets into full swing - although it promises to be a distinctly underwhelming experience.
Cristiano Ronaldo predicted Portugal's Euro 2016 hero Eder would score the winning goal in their 1-0 extra-time triumph over France and gave him the encouragement to settle Sunday's final.
Talismanic Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo struggled against Croatia producing just one shot on goal, but coach Fernando Santos defended his "amazing" captain.
Images from the FIFA World Cup qualifier matches played on Tuesday night.
Cristiano Ronaldo is in top condition and showing more resolve than ever to lead Portugal to the European title, national team coach Fernando Santos said ahead of their final Euro 2016 warm-up match on Wednesday.
Brazilian-born Marcelinho scored on his Bulgaria debut while Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty for Portugal as the visitors pulled off a shock 1-0 friendly win over the Euro 2016 finalists on Friday.
Guedes, 22, nutmegged Matthijs de Ligt, exchanged passes with Bernando Silva and then beat goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen with a shot from the edge of the area on the hour for his fourth international goal in 17 appearances.
Evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, including two late goals, to give Portugal a 3-1 win over Switzerland in a Nations League semi-final featuring an extraordinary VAR incident on Wednesday.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos dismissed the suggestion that his team relies too much on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Love him or loathe him, there is no denying that Cristiano Ronaldo has had a profound effect on Portugal's national team since making his debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003.
Cristiano Ronaldo shows no signs of flagging as he approaches his mid-30s but there are plenty of other worries for a team with an ageing central defence and a number of players struggling for form.
Portugal's triumphant soccer team arrive home later on Monday on a plane named after the country's late football legend Eusebio and will continue their celebrations after the dramatic win over hosts France in the Euro 2016 final.
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