We look ahead to the final game of Matchday 1 at Euro 2024 with our Portugal vs Czech Republic prediction and preview.
Portugal vs Czech Republic Stats: The Key Insights
- Portugal are big favourites to win this match, coming out on top in 61.9% of the Opta supercomputer’s pre-match simulations.
- Cristiano Ronaldo holds the Euros records for most games (25), most goals (14), joint-most assists on record (6 – since 1972), and most editions in which he has scored at least one goal (5).
- This will be the fourth European Championship meeting between Portugal and Czech Republic since 1996 – only Italy and Spain have met on more occasions over that period (5).
Familiar Euros foes Portugal and Czech Republic meet once again at the European Championship. They know each other well, having faced off in 1996, 2008 and 2012.
Portugal come into the tournament tipped in many quarters as a good shout to repeat their title win from 2016. They have bags of attacking talent and were the only team to win 100% of their games in qualifying. They also scored more goals (36) than any other team and conceded fewer (2) than everyone else.
They have plenty of tournament pedigree, too, being the only team to reach the knockouts at each of the last seven European Championships, a run stretching back to 1996. In fact, they have progressed from the group stage in all eight of their participations.
They will this time be led by Roberto Martínez, who is heading to his fourth major international tournament as a head coach, but his first with Portugal. He led Belgium to third place at the 2018 World Cup and the quarter-finals at Euro 2020, before being knocked out in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.
He has an attacking contingent full of talent and goals at his disposal, and will be confident his side have enough quality to hurt any opponent.
A certain Cristiano Ronaldo will be leading the line. This will be his sixth European Championship, and he will surely add to his record 25 appearances at the Euros. He also already holds the records for the most goals (14), joint-most assists on record (6 – since 1972), and most Euros tournaments where he has scored at least one goal (5). He stands a good chance of adding to all of those at Euro 2024.
There is a lot of competition for places in the Portuguese attack, though. Rafael Leão, Bernardo Silva, João Félix, Pedro Neto, Diogo Jota and Gonçalo Ramos are all vying for a starting spot, while youngster Francisco Conceição provides another option from the bench, and they also have creator-in-chief – and added goal threat – Bruno Fernandes in midfield.
Czech Republic will hope the mean defence that got them through qualifying can stand up to the serious pressure it’s likely to come under in Leipzig. They allowed their opponents just 5.1 xG and 20 shots on target across their eight matches in qualifying, both of which were among the lowest tallies of all teams competing.
They also have a strong history in this competition and will therefore hope they aren’t overawed by the occasion, even if they have the youngest and least experienced squad at Euro 2024.
They lifted the trophy (as Czechoslovakia) in 1976 and made it all the way to the final in 1996, losing to Germany. This year, they are taking part in their 11th European Championship, and their eighth in a row. That uninterrupted streak is the third-longest current run of successive participations at European Championships behind Germany (14) and France (9).
Portugal vs Czech Republic Head-to-Head
This will be the fourth European Championship meeting between Portugal and Czech Republic since 1996. In that time, only Italy and Spain have met on more occasions (5), but they have a sixth meeting coming up at Euro 2024.
Czech Republic won the first of their encounters with Portugal in 1996 (1-0), while the Seleção were victorious in the last two (3-1 in 2008, 1-0 in 2012).
Portugal have won each of their last four matches in all competitions against Czech Republic, scoring 10 goals and conceding just one. They have kept a clean sheet in the last three.
Portugal vs Czech Republic Prediction
Portugal are big favourites to win this one, coming out on top in 61.9% of the Opta supercomputer’s pre-game simulations. That leaves Czech Republic with a 38.1% chance of taking something from the game; they won just 17.1% of the supercomputer’s sims.
Portugal are also among the favourites to win the whole competition, given a 9.2% chance by the supercomputer. Unsurprisingly, they are the team most likely to win Group F, finishing top of the pile in 59.5% of pre-tournament sims.
Czech Republic are given a 60.7% chance of making it out of the group.
Portugal vs Czech Republic Squads
Portugal
Diogo Costa, José Sá, Rui Patrício, António Silva, Danilo Pereira, Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, João Cancelo, Nélson Semedo, Nuno Mendes, Pepe, Rúben Dias, Bruno Fernandes, João Neves, João Palhinha, Matheus Nunes, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Francisco Conceição, Gonçalo Ramos, João Félix, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão.
Head coach: Roberto Martínez
Czech Republic
Jindrich Stanek, Matej Kovár, Vítezslav Jaros, David Doudera, David Jurásek, David Zima, Ladislav Krejcí, Martin Vitík, Robin Hranác, Tomás Holes, Tomás Vlcek, Vladimír Coufal, Antonín Barák, Lukás Cerv, Lukás Provod, Matej Jurásek, Ondrej Lingr, Pavel Sulc, Tomás Soucek, Václav Cerny, Adam Hlozek, Jan Kuchta, Mojmír Chytil, Patrik Schick, Tomás Chory.
Head coach: Ivan Hašek
Portugal vs Czech Republic Predicted Lineups
Our football newsletter ‘Stat, Viz, Quiz’ is going all in on Euro 2024 this summer, so sign up to receive exclusive content. You should also follow our social accounts over on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.