The Road to South Africa

It was a tortuous path and in the end Portugal were pleased to have made the play-offs, where they overcame Bosnia. For most of their campaign, it appeared unlikely they would go through at all. Having conceded two stoppage-time goals to lose 3-2 to Denmark in the Jose Alvalade Stadium, Portugal drew their next three fixtures goallessly and had to rely on a 92nd-minute intervention from Bruno Alves to overcome Albania. That proved a turning point. Queiroz's men drew 1-1 with the group winners, Denmark in Copenhagen and won their three remaining matches to pip Sweden to a play-off place.

The Star Players

Deco (Chelsea) Even at 32 and eight years after deciding to play for Portugal rather than the country of his birth, Brazil, he is still capable of a wonderful, match-changing pass. Having won the Champions League with both Porto and Barcelona, he followed the Portugal manager and fellow Brazilian, Scolari to Chelsea with mixed results.

Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid) One of a stream of great Portuguese wingers, who like Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo began their careers at Sporting Lisbon. However, it was at Benfica where Simao really flourished. He made his international debut as long ago in 1998 but scored only once in the 2006 World Cup and not at all in Euro 2008.

Bruno Alves (Porto) A tough and sometimes overaggressive central defender; much will depend on the 28-year-old centre half given that right-back Jose Bosingwa will definitely miss the World Cup and Pepe, Alves's usual partner, is struggling to be fit. Alves can produce useful goals, scoring the winner against Bosnia in the first leg of the play offs.

The Coach

Carlos Queiroz This will be a World Cup that will touch plenty of emotions for one of the game's great thinkers. Queiroz was born in Mozambique and coached South Africa to the 2002 World Cup before being sacked before the tournament began. This is his second stint as manager of Portugal; the first ended in the disaster of non-qualification for the 1992 European Championship and the 1994 World Cup. Queiroz rebuilt his reputation in two stints as assistant manager at Manchester United, although an interlude to manage the galacticos at Real Madrid ended with his dismissal after one turbulent season at the Bernabeu.

Honours

World Cup: Semi-finalists 1966, 2006.
European Championship: Finalists 2004. Semi-finalists 2000, 1984.

Analysis

Without question, Portugal will have to be at their best to go through and the opening match, against the Ivory Coast in Port Elizabeth, will go a long way to deciding their fate. With Pepe and Bosingwa likely to be absent, their defence may be more fragile than usual. Portugal should take three points from North Korea and then will come the showdown with Brazil in Durban. Fortuitously, all of Portugal's group games are at sea level and, should they qualify in second place as expected, Portugal will remain by the ocean at Cape Town to face in all probability, Spain which would be one of the games of the tournament.

Verdict

Squad (3.5/5)
Portugal have on paper some of the finest talent in European football and in Cristiano Ronaldo perhaps the best player the country has ever produced.

Coach (3/5)
When he took Portugal to their second youth World Cup in 1991, Queiroz looked like one of the great coaches in the making. His career, however, has not quite fulfilled its early promise.

Attack (3.5/5)
With Cristiano Ronaldo to support the out-and-out forwards, Portugal are always capable of scoring. However, they lack formidable specialist strikers.

Defence (3/5)
Were Bosingwa and Pepe fully match fit, Portugal would score 3.5 out of 5 but these are big losses for any team to deal with.