Joao Cancelo Targets European Championship Glory With Portugal Following Previous Disappointment

Joao Cancelo is aiming to lead Portugal to their second European Championship title in his first appearance at the tournament. The 30-year-old, who spent the 2023-24 season on loan with Bayern Munich and Barcelona, missed Euro 2020 after testing positive for Coronavirus. Cancelo was replaced by Diogo Dalot but made his major tournament debut at the World Cup in Qatar two years ago.

Portugal will begin their group campaign in Leipzig against Czechia on Tuesday, and Cancelo is eager to seize this opportunity in Germany. "It was unfair because I had a great season; I felt like I should have been there, but life didn't want it that way," said Cancelo. "Maybe I had to wait for this moment to be the right one to assert myself."

Cancelo emphasised the importance of representing his national team. "No matter how many clubs I play for, the national team is the highlight of my career because in it I represent my family, my friends who played with me on the street," he added. "It's always the highlight, whether in a friendly or in top competition."

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Following their match against Ivan Hasek's side, Portugal will travel to Dortmund to face Turkiye before concluding their group fixtures against Georgia on June 26. Roberto Martinez will lead his first major tournament since being appointed as Fernando Santos' successor at the beginning of 2023.

The Spaniard guided Portugal to an unbeaten qualifying campaign, the only side to achieve this among the 24 teams in the competition. Cancelo praised Martinez's impact on the squad since his arrival. "He is a coach who from the first day made me feel at ease, both on a sporting and personal level," said Cancelo.

"He is very close to the players, has good ideas, likes attacking, offensive and attractive football, and I identify with that because I think the same way," added Cancelo. "We hope to bring him joy. He has made a difference since he arrived and has adapted very quickly."