The current squad have been touted at home and abroad as potential world-beaters since they lifted the 1989 and 1991 world youth championships under future and now former Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz.

Having grafted Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari on to their wagon, the Portuguese hope some of the flair that his former team showed two years ago in Japan and South Korea will rub off on them.

The contrast between the fortunes of that Brazilian side and Portugal's 2002 vintage could hardly have been greater.

Figo, having just helped Real to Champions League glory, and company arrived with high hopes and seemingly at the peak of their powers -- only to flop disastrously in losing first-phase matches to a United States selection they fatally underestimated and a South Korea side galvanised by fanatical support.

Scolari may or may not elect to extend his contract beyond July, but Portuguese football has received a massive shot in the arm this season, not just with preparations for Euro 2004 and the state of the art arenas which come with it but also Porto's unexpected but hugely merited Champions League triumph.

The predominance of a once Eusebio-inspired Benfica has all but disappeared over the past three decades but Porto stunned Bayern Munich to put the country back on the European map in 1987.

And last month's success over Monaco, coming after Jose Mourinho's artful side had knocked out Manchester United against all the odds, has again lifted the Portuguese game to dizzy heights.

"At Euro 2004 we will be up against rival teams whom we must respect -- but we must not fear them," Scolari said last week.

Porto will supply six members of their team to the national squad and Portuguese Football Federation president Gilberto Madail believes they will be able to transfer their winning mentality to their colleagues.

"I think that FC Porto have given us a huge boost - and I hope it will help motivate the national team even further," says Madail.

Defenders Nuno Valente, Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho and midfield stars Deco, Costinha and Maniche will all be in the mix, while goalscoring duties are likely to fall on the shoulders of Paris St Germain striker Pauleta.

One surprise is the omission of Porto keeper Vitor Baia to his squad.

Baia is the only Portuguese player to have won the three most important trophies in European club football; the Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona (1997), the UEFA Cup with FC Porto (2003) and the Champions League with FC Porto.

But Scolari preferred Ricardo Pereira of Sporting Lisbon, Sporting Braga's Joaquim "Quim" Silva and Benfica's Moreira ahead of the vetrean.

Scolari will hope that what does not look on paper the deepest of squads can avoid injury and suspension to erase the memories of the World Cup and the heartbreaking Euro 2000 semi-final loss to France.

Along the way he will hope that fresh talents such as Manchester United's player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo will take to the stage with aplomb.