Portugal have never won a major competition but came closest when they hosted the 2004 European Championships losing to Greece in the final. They then put in a good performance in they following World Cup knocking out England in the quarter finals but losing to France in the semi's.

Portugal's success has been put down mainly to manager Luiz Felipe Scolari who was hired in 2003 after he had lead his own country Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002. Since then he has lead them to a European Championship final and a World Cup semi final.