Just two days after the Seleção arrived to an excited reception from locals and travelling fans, the picturesque Westphalia town of Marienfeld seems to have been transformed into a 'little Portugal.' Flags, banners and welcome signs have made a green and red tapestry of this otherwise peaceful stadt.
Amid all the fanfare, there is hard work to do and Benfica winger Simao Sabrosa sat down with the media on Tuesday to discuss the strengths of the Portugal side. He stressed the "strong" condition of Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad and was quick to dismiss talk of any personality clashes in a dressing room brimming with high-profile stars.
"Our main strength is simple to describe – it is the team itself. We only think about the team. We don't think about individuals or the big stars and the names that everyone knows."
Simao believes the upbeat mood and excellent team spirit are down, primarily, to the leadership of coach Scolari, a world champion with Brazil back in 2002. "He (Scolari) has us all in good shape and ready to go," said the player. "Of course, we are anxious too as our first match draws nearer, but we are ready."