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| Upbeat: Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo |
Cristiano Ronaldo reflected on an imperfect season with Real Madrid and suggested that a triumph here for Portugal would help to compensate.
Portugal begin what looks certain to be a difficult campaign in Group B on Saturday with a game against Germany in Lviv.
Much will once more be asked of Ronaldo who admitted on Friday that he still hasn't really got over Real Madrid's Champions League exit to Bayern Munich last month.
Ronaldo said: 'I had a good season but I'm missing the Champions League, so maybe you cannot say it was the very best year.
Ronaldo said: 'I had a good season but I'm missing the Champions League, so maybe you cannot say it was the very best year.
'But the Euros are still where I have hopes of doing something special with Portugal.
'Maybe people think we can't win; but for me, Portugal is one of the biggest teams in Europe and we have a great history.
'Maybe people think we can't win; but for me, Portugal is one of the biggest teams in Europe and we have a great history.
'Portugal has a good team with players who play in the best clubs in the world. Now all we need is to play as a team and to hope this time we get some luck.
'Can we fight for the title? I don't know, it depends on many factors. But why not?
'The problem has been that at the moment of truth we have not taken our chances in the Euros or in World Cups in the past, although we came very close in 2004 when we were at home.
'But it's still my dream to win a trophy with my country, so let's see if this time we can do something good.'
Pitched in to a group with Germany, Holland and Denmark, Ronaldo and his team know they are perhaps third favourites to qualify. Victory on Saturday would help, though.
'We need to start well,' said Ronaldo.
'Everybody knows Germany is one of the big favourites. Starting against them is a huge risk but we must accept this challenge face to face and without fear.
'Defeating them would be an amazing result and give us lots of encouragement for the quarter-finals.'
On target: Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid lift the La Liga title
Germany head in to today's game having reached the last four, at least, of the last three tournaments they have played in and many observers believe they are an improved team on the one that beat England at the South Africa World Cup two years ago.
The Germans won every one of their qualifying games and Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker said: 'We have had many chances in the last three big tournaments. We went to two semi-finals and one final and that's good for us but if you get that far it's better to get the title. I think that's the main point for this tournament.
'It won't be easy because we have a tough group, but we are excited about that. We are ready. We know we have to be ready from the first moment, that is the main thing in this tournament. We will try to be sharp from the very first kick against Portugal.
'You cannot lose a match like this, if you do you are nearly out.'
Warning: Germany defender Per Mertesacker (left)
On target: Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid lift the La Liga title
Germany head in to today's game having reached the last four, at least, of the last three tournaments they have played in and many observers believe they are an improved team on the one that beat England at the South Africa World Cup two years ago.
The Germans won every one of their qualifying games and Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker said: 'We have had many chances in the last three big tournaments. We went to two semi-finals and one final and that's good for us but if you get that far it's better to get the title. I think that's the main point for this tournament.
'It won't be easy because we have a tough group, but we are excited about that. We are ready. We know we have to be ready from the first moment, that is the main thing in this tournament. We will try to be sharp from the very first kick against Portugal.
'You cannot lose a match like this, if you do you are nearly out.'
Warning: Germany defender Per Mertesacker (left)
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