Hungary 0-3 Portugal revisited: Seleção get Euro 2020 campaign off to a positive start | OneFootball

Tomorrow Portugal play their second World Cup qualifier, in Budapest against Hungary. The match-up and the venue trigger memories of the 2020 European Championship opener played four years ago.

With the world still trying to get to grips with Covid-19 (the tournament was played a year after its originally scheduled date owing to the pandemic), this was the first major international football event where fans could attend matches, albeit in compliance with a set of strict rules, such as the mandatory wearing of masks.

Reigning champions Portugal were hoping to rekindle the magic of Euro 2016, although some of the lustre of Fernando Santos’ amazing start to life as Seleção coach had begun to wear off, with a growing number of critics suggesting it was time for a change in the national team dugout.

And despite being on top for most of the match, it appeared Portugal would be frustrated in the Hungarian capital as the game remained goalless with little over five minutes remaining.

Rafa’s time to shine

Up stepped an unlikely hero, as substitute Rafa Silva would enjoy his best game in a Portugal shirt. Blessed with blistering pace and a consistent performer for Benfica for years, Rafa never managed to sparkle for his country like he did for the Eagles, and would surprisingly announce his retirement from international football still pretty much at the peak of his abilities.

However, on that June afternoon in Budapest everything clicked for Rafa, who was directly involved in three quickfire goals from Raphaël Guerreiro, Ronaldo from the penalty spot, and the captain again after playing a lovely one-two with Rafa.

“Santos undoubtedly had an eye on the two upcoming matches against Germany and France when selecting his starting side. With that in mind, despite all three goals coming in the final 10 minutes, it was a positive dress rehearsal as Portugal aim to defend their European Championship title,” wrote Matthew Marshall in PortuGOAL’s Hungary 0-3 Portugal match report.

It was one of those games that was clearly influenced by substitutions.

“I put on Renato to carry the ball forward. Portugal needed speed, imagination and verticality. That’s what I asked of Rafa and he did it well. Sometimes substitutions go well, sometimes they don’t. We won 3-0, so I think they went well,” said Santos post-match.

Hungary as good as it got

Portugal played out the group stage with a disastrous 4-2 defeat against Germany followed by an exciting 2-2 draw against the then World Champions France, before falling to Belgium in the Round of 16.

For Portugal it was a largely disappointing tournament, failing to hit top form in any of their four matches. Cristiano Ronaldo, however, did what he had to do, scoring five times to finish joint top scorer at the tournament, alongside the Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick.

Not the most memorable of Euros for the Seleção, but for Rafa Silva it was a brilliant cameo and a glimpse of what might have been in terms of his international career.