It was back in February, shortly after Real Madrid had been beaten at home by neighbours Atletico to fall nine points behind the Spanish league leaders, Barcelona, that Cristiano Ronaldo snapped. “I am annoyed because it feels like you are persecuting me,” the Portugal forward told reporters. “You say, ‘Cristiano has dropped his level and that is why Madrid [are suffering]’. No, if everyone was at my level, maybe we would be top.”
Ronaldo stopped short of delivering such a damning appraisal of his Portugal team-mates in the wake of the country’s group stage exit at the World Cup finals two summers ago but it had probably required a considerable degree of restraint. The best European footballer of his generation had cut an unhappy figure in Brazil, and while those frustrations stemmed largely from a significantly inhibiting knee injury, the histrionics, the dramatic shrugs, the arm waving and generally disgruntled body language also reflected his exasperation at the limitations of those around them
It promises to be a different story in France. Not only is Ronaldo fully fit and determined to finally leave a truly lasting impression on a leading tournament after a number of near misses and a few failures, he now appears to have the support cast to help him achieve it.
Portugal open their Euro 2016 account against the smallest nation ever to take part in a major tournament in St-Etienne on Tuesday evening, even if Iceland proved in qualifying with back-to-back wins over Holland, as well as victories against Turkey and the Czech Republic, that they are no slouches. But excitement in Portugal at the ensemble of arresting young midfielders who have emerged since that setback in Brazil has triggered talk of another golden generation in the making and with good reason.
From Danilo and William Carvalho to the gilded trio of Renato Sanches, Andre Gomes and Joao Mario and, beyond them, Rafa Silva, a versatile winger who has drawn comparisons with Eden Hazard, Fernando Santos, the Portugal coach, has a wealth of young talent to pick from and has not been afraid to put them front and centre stage. Indeed, if they perform to anything approaching their potential in France, they could prove the perfect complement to Ronaldo, who appears to be revelling in the role of father figure and mentor
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