Portugal deserved a place in the next round. As hosts for the Euro 2004 the former sea faring nation has fared well on their home turf. Man to man and club to club Spain is far ahead of Portuguese football but it is the collective spirit of the Portuguese team under the stewardship of the radical Brazilian Scolari and egged by the multitude of home supporters that fetched the historical result last night. Spanish football powerhouses like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Deportivo and even others boast of rich tradition and football culture and in terms of content are names more visible than Boavista, Sporting Lisbon, Benfica, Porto, Braga or Maritimo Funchal. Congratulations to Luis Figo, Nuno Gomes and the Portuguese squad.
