Portugal v Holland: Can Ronaldo hit the target or will Sneijder show him who’s boss?
Euro 2012's 'Group of Death' will come to an end tonight, and with the Germans odds-on to run away with first place, much of the attention is likely to fall on Portugal v Holland. Portugal's fate is in their own hands, but even if the Dutch win they need matters elsewhere to go their way if they are to progress. talkSPORT looks at the two big stars who carry the hopes of their nations...
Name: Cristiano Ronaldo
Position: Forward
Country: Portugal
Caps: 92
Club: Real Madrid
The details: Despite scoring 32 goals for Portugal from the wing, there are still people who doubt Cristiano Ronaldo's dedication to his country. A howler against Denmark didn't help, and it's now or never for CR7 if he hopes to win over the Portuguese fans once and for all. Ronaldo hit the back of the net 60 times for Real Madrid this season, but he's still looking for his first goal at Euro 2012, and a standout performance from the former Ballon d'Or winner is long overdue. One theory on getting the best out of the ex-Manchester United man is to play him as a central striker, so it will be intriguing to see how Portugal coach Paulo Bento sets out his team against the Dutch.
Video evidence
Check out Ronaldo bagging 60 goals for Real Madrid this season below...
Name: Wesley Sneijder
Position: Midfielder
Country: Holland
Caps: 86
Club: Inter Milan
The details: Perhaps the one bright light in an otherwise dismal Euro 2012 campaign for the Dutch, Wesley Sneijder's quality has been on display for all to see. The Inter midfielder hit out at his Oranje team-mates for under-performing in their Group B opener, and after they failed to respond in their second game against Germany, it looks like it could be up to Sneijder to drag his team through their crunch tie with Portugal. Sneijder has an excellent record in front of goal for Holland, scoring approximately one every three games, and the midfielder will be looking to maintain that statistic against the Portuguese.
Video evidence
This compilation shows off the quality and variety of strikes Sneijder is capable of...
Will Ronaldo produce the goods for Portugal, or is it Wesley Sneijder's time to shine? Let us know by commenting below...