I'm talking about the WC.

That's why I wrote that there's a lot of psychology involved.

Nobody expected Greece to go far in World Cup 2006 had they qualified, but I remember the respect in how they were talked about by the experts on our TV. For a little while Greece was a respectable team after years of being laughing stock.

Oh, Germany had a dark time 2002? I didn't remember that, sorry. For which torunaments were they mentioned as favorites? 2006 obviously being hosts, but what else? Nearly every time they are among the favorites.

WC Italy 1990 I think Argentina, Germany and Italy were the favorites beforehand, and Brazil a little bit.

It's interesting what you say about Portugal and the generational shift. It certainly looks like they can soon be in trouble.

What I largely mean is, that if you watch the telly, and the commentators and experts, or it could be your IRL friends too, and they name their favorites they're hardly gonna list all the 10-11 teams that have a chance to win. But thanks to Portugal being champions they often will be expressly mentioned as the dark horse, no matter if the chance in reality is exactly the same as it has been in the last decade like you say.

Yes, it's not simply winning a big tournament. Otherwise I would have mentioned Russia, Denmark, Greece, Czech Republic/Czechoslovakia, Peru and Colombia, which have won either the Euro or the Copa (Peru even twice afaik). And African nations unfortunately don't still have a chance as they are lacking the allocated money and infrastructure of European and South/Middle American nations.

The following were already among the big football nations for me without an international title as they always produced great players, club teams and coaches, but at the same time their national teams were lacking a big international title (not for me to consider them one of the big nations but to prove it to the world):

- France (only without a big title title until 1984, the Platini team was excellent, as well as the Zidane team in 1998 of course, when France cemented their reputation they still have today)

- Holland (unlucky in 1974 and 1978 [too bad for Cruyff and Co.] but they finally won their big and well-deserved title with their stunning 1988 team)

- Spain (despite their Euro win in the 1960s[?] it took them until 2008 to finally being considered worldwide as the big football nation they already were for a long time before that, and from 2008 to 2012 their national team dominated world football like I've never had seen it before)

- Portugal (the Euro 2004 was the most tragic tournament I've ever seen, as a football fan it hurt seeing them lose at their own tournament not only once but twice against the same and lesser opponent [no offense to Greek fans]; as long as Portugal's national team didn't win a big title they were considered as the unlucky nation that produced great players [Eusebio, Luis Figo and Ronaldo are only the three best and most famous ones], club teams and coaches)

South-America: While Brazil and Uruguay were already considered big football nations by the rest of the world in the 70s, Argentina joined in 1978 with their world cup title and cemented their reputation during the Maradona era.

Portugal was already an important, big football nation for a very long time in my (and in many other people's) opinion, they were the last one of the "defining" worldwide football nations of the last century that needed a big title to prove to the world that they really deserve to be up there. That's why I'm really happy they finally made it today.

Other countries can follow Portugal of course, nations which only made it to competitive world class in the more recent years. Chile has proven this year wirh their 2nd Copa that they are on their way, and yes, I think they are the next contender for "big nations club" now that Portugal made it, but Belgium or any other country you mentioned hasn't proven much up to now.

I've been watching the Euros for years. so I'm well aware of how good the European nations are at football.

Of course watching a game live is much more exciting. Watching anything live is interesting. Not sure what your point is? 

Yup. The thing with Brazil is that they have so much material to work with that they could virtually have multiple national teams. They can just decide to completely ignore all players that were in the copa america and start over.

Though generally yeah... recently they havent been very good. But i'm sure they are also happy with Portugal's win in the euro, just like we were with their wins in previous world cups.

ClassicGamingWizzz said: You guys need to fucking see this , i never laugh so much this year https://streamable.com/9g7u?t=3.4

lol Cmon Santos! Jump! Jump!

Pepe was good but I think Nani was their best player, personally. He showed determination and play I haven't seen since he was in form at Man U when Fergie was there. Patricio made some great saves in the final and kudos to my man Fonte, who after being brought into the team longside Pepe, strengthened the defence so they only conceeded 1 goal since group stage (where he didn't play).

What an awful tournament. The 24 team system just fucked up everything.

I guess I was disappointed by the group stage. The knockout games were actually good, specially Iceland-England and Wales-Belgium.

Congratulations to Portugal even though people will hate seeing the sight of Ronaldo lifting the trophy they fought until the end and prevailed.