Portugal coach José Couceiro has chosen a strong team to compete in the UEFA European Under 21 Championship in Netherlands this year. Werder Bremen striker Hugo Almeida is the man to watch for Portugal as they attempt to put in a decent showing at this years' championship.

Almeida joins Miguel Veloso, João Moutinho, Yannick Djaló and Nani as the big names in the Portugal squad this year. Nani has just sealed a move to Manchester United and he will be keen to impress against Belgium on June 10.Everton midfielder Manuel Fernandes is also in the 23-man squad and will be another exciting prospect this summer.

CD Santa Clara goalkeeper João Botelho could make his debut against Belgium although Paulo Ribeiro is the regular goalkeeper. João Moreira who will be competing with Yannick Djaló for a place in the attacking half feels the time has come for Portugal to bury the demands of last year. The home side failed to progress beyond the group stages in 2006 and the Valencia CF forward feels Portugal are ready this time around.

"I hope this team can prove its worth," he said. "We have clear goals as we want to reach the semi-finals so we can play in the next Olympics." Sporting centre-back Semedo is the only injury worry in an otherwise supremely fit Portugal team.

Belgium coach Jean-François De Sart is a worried man after 10 of his starting squad were called to the senior team to take on Finland in the Euro 2008 qualifiers. Besides this Hamburger SV defender Vincent Kompany, AZ Alkmaar striker Moussa Dembélé and RSC Anderlecht attacker Jonathan Legear are all unfit compounding the worries of an increasingly fragile looking Belgium team.

Maarten Martens, Thomas Vermaelen, Tom De Mul and Marouane Fellaini are all in the team, but it must be said that the coach is unsure of team composition after the call-up of 10 players to the senior squad, "Only on Thursday will I see the other ten players, so we can train for the first time as a complete unit," the coach moaned.

Belgium are in a strong group with Portugal, Israel and the Netherlands being the other teams.