In a panel honouring the victory at Euro2016, at the 18th International Football Congress, at the University of Maia, Fernando Santos praised the power of the Portuguese team and confessed to "working hard to ensure there is a repeat" of the European triumph led by Roberto Martínez, of whom he calls himself a "personal friend".

"I've always said that Portugal is in the running to win. I’m not talking about whether or not this team is better than the one from 2016. But Portugal always has the conditions to win and it already did before I arrived. The only difference is that now it can do it again, before it couldn't, because it had never won", he reinforced.

Even so, the coach, who parted ways with Turkish side Besiktas last month, made a point of remembering that other teams have legitimate ambitions to win the competition, thus putting some caution on Portuguese enthusiasm.

"I would bet on Portugal, naturally because that is my desire. Portugal has good conditions to get there, but it always has, because it has always had great players and great coaches, but, when you go to a competition like this, there are many other teams with great coaches and great players who also want to win, but only one will win", he cautioned.