Stylish Portugal impose order on Turkish chaos

As one man took centre stage in a circus, a properly serious team got on with the business of convincingly winning football matches around him. Is this to be the story of Portugal at Euro 2024?

- MIGUEL DELANEY

Turkey 0

Portugal Silva (21), Akaydin (28 og), Fernandes (55) 3

Perhaps it really is the sign of a new team that, as a goal stood at Cristiano Ronaldo’s mercy, he shockingly passed for another player to score. It wasn’t the only moment where he threw back the years. There was also the moment when he beat a defender with a step-over to cross, something he hasn’t actually done in maybe a decade.

For all that, such contributions were largely at the fringes of a game, which was already won by the Selecao’s more influential modern players, though there is no doubting the main event of Roberto Martinez’s side.

After Ronaldo had passed for Bruno Fernandes to make it 3-0 against Turkey and secure top spot in the group, all of the players ran to the provider rather than scorer, the 39-year-old’s arms aloft. The Portuguese crowd sang his name more than anyone else.

Even the Turkish crowd, who deafeningly booed every opposition player when the teams were read out, stopped to raucously cheer the No 7. It was maybe a sign of what was to come. For all the hysterical noise Turkey made, some of it on the pitch, they were all too easily quietened.

Portugal imposed order on Turkish chaos. That partly comes from Martinez, with much of it around Ronaldo.

It is very finely tuned up to that point. This is why they are rightly being talked about as potential champions and maybe even the best team in the tournament, although there are now a few contenders for that.

It makes for an enticing knockout stage. Will Ronaldo start? That is a big question and may decide a lot.