 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| *Portugese local time |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Select a side to see all their matches
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
 Indicates premium content |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tell us your views, comments or news about Euro 2004, from wherever you are.
Read the latest emails here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DUSAN VRANIC/AP |
| YOUTHFUL INDESCRETION: Cristiano Ronaldo fouls Georgios Seitaridis of Greecein Sunday's, defeat of Portugal by Greece at the Dragao Stadium. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Euro 2004 is filled with young, gifted players who are ready to shine. Meet the hot prospects
By JENNIE JAMES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted Sunday, June 13, 2004; 11.13 BST
He shares a nom de football — Ronaldo — with one of the world's best players. At 19, after a breakthrough season in the English Premier League, he has already taken the field in the final phase of a senior international competition staged in his own country. All the signs say Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo could be the newcomer who turns into something special at Euro 2004. Fans of the winger, who plays for Manchester United, praise his deft dribbling and intelligent improvisation. Says Man U manager Alex Ferguson: "If you just take the components — terrific physique, balance, pace, two feet — the potential is there." Portugal's hot new talent knows that as a youngster in a squad full of big names, his first task is just to muscle into the lineup. But as a halftime substitute in his side's 2-1 loss to Greece, he added urgency to Portugal's attack — not to mention a goal — although he also conceded a penalty. Still, he looked like he belonged. "[Portugal] has brought forth some great young players," Ronaldo told time. "I am Ronaldo. I hope to continue as I am."
No one can say for certain which rookie will rock the international stage at Euro 2004 — and that's why one of the great pleasures of the tournament is trying to be first to spot the rising star. At Euro 2000, Cristiano Ronaldo's countryman, Nuno Gomes, then 23, was the surprise package of the European championships, with four goals that propelled Portugal to the semifinals. This time, the new phenom may turn out to be a striker who has already known club success, but whose country has failed to qualify for other recent tournaments — someone like Bulgaria's Dimitar Berbatov. Or a midfielder like Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart, seizing the spotlight from one of football's aging heroes. Conservative coaches will keep some of these youngsters glued to the bench. But with a game every four days in the first two weeks, managers will have to rotate their squads to prevent player burnout. And every side will have
its share of bookings and injuries. "It's often the unexpected developments that force a coach to change lineups or strategies that create opportunities for replacement players," says Aimé Jacquet, the 1998 World Cup-winning French coach. "You're never quite certain who will have the big, breakout performance."
If it's a fairy tale you're looking for, keep an eye on 21-year-old van der Vaart. Football afficionados praise the soft-spoken Ajax captain's feel for the ball, and even compare it to that of French guru Zinedine Zidane. Says Dutch veteran Frank de Boer: "Van der Vaart is smart. He has great technique, he uses his body well. He plays in behind the strikers, and he always makes his runs at the right moment." De Boer says that when youngsters come into the Dutch squad, they have to demonstrate to the seniors "that they deserve to be there. He has already proved himself."
Van der Vaart's story is compelling for other reasons. His Dutch father and Spanish mother raised him in a trailer park. He recently bought a place in his hometown — the first time he's lived in a house with a foundation. And he is not afraid to admit that all the hoopla about his football can be unsettling. "Of course it's an honor, but it also puts you under pressure," he says. "It keeps me awake at night sometimes." The other thing keeping him awake? "Michael Ballack", he says, talking of the predatory midfielder from Germany, the Dutch team's first opponent.
If Spain's Xabi Alonso has similar concerns, he isn't letting on. During the club season, the 22-year-old Real Sociedad midfielder helped take his club to the first knockout round of the Champions League, although they struggled in Spain's domestic league. Alonso had to face down a few of his football heroes along the way. "You can't just roll down the carpet for your heroes," he says, "otherwise they will run you over."
Although the Spanish midfield is also crowded with big names such as Rubén Baraja and David Albelda, commentators expect Alonso to stake a strong claim. "Where he sets the eye, he sets the ball," says Jon Balenziaga, a football analyst for Basque Radio and Television, praising Alonso's ability to deliver precise, exquisitely weighted passes over 60 m. He is also lauded as a master of two-touch football — oh, and he can find the net, too. "This is the direction we are going in today's football," says Alonso. "Toward being more complete players, able to do different things on the pitch." Like some other international newcomers, Alonso has big-game club exposure to draw on, thanks to the continuous rotation of players required by arduous club competitions. "In the last couple of seasons," says iconic Italian referee Pierluigi Collina, "many clubs have let very young players play to [get] good experience."
|
|
|
|
 Brand it Like Beckham [Apr. 27, 2003]
England's captain on keeping his life in balance: "Never say never"
Players Behaving Badly [Jan. 14, 2002]
More English footballers wind up in the courts, prompting questions about discipline off the pitch
Home-Field Advantage [Feb. 27, 2001]
Are some foreign football stars playing for European teams with the assistance of bogus passports?
Back to the Bad Old Days
[Oct. 14, 2002]
English fans were at their worst at last week's Euro 2004 qualifying match against Slovakia
No Money, No Kickoff [Aug. 25, 2002]
Reality bites, and Italian teams are forced to take drastic action
Pink, Proud And Scoring [May. 14, 2001]
Spain's Alav s proves soccer success doesn't always require big bucks
In The Football Business [Sep. 7, 2003]
The true cost of a kick in the grass
Play and Pay [Jul. 30, 2001]
European soccer's big leagues are eager to recruit Japanese players and not just for their ball skills
Search all issues of TIME Magazine
|
Premium Content
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, June 7, 2008 |
UEFA Euro 2008
Austia & Switzerland |
|
|
|
|
