Position: Defender
Born: 05.06.78
Club: VfB Stuttgart

A tough-tackling defender and natural leader, Fernando Meira forms an important part of Portugal's rearguard.

Although now predominantly played at the back by both club and country, Meira has spent part of his career in midfield and will have a key role to play at set-pieces at both ends of the pitch as he stands an intimidating 1.90m tall.

Having started his career at Vitoria Guimaraes in the 1995/96 season, Meira moved to his hometown club FC Felgueiras. He then returned to Guimaraes before Benfica secured his services in the summer of 2000.

German outfit VfB Stuttgart signed Meira in 2002 with Stuttgart's general manager Ralf Russman describing him as a "trophy signing" - and he helped tuttgart finish as the Bundesliga runners-up.

Meira was left out of the 2002 World Cup squad but won a recall to the national team when Luis Felipe Scolari took over and will hope to take advantage now that he has been included this time around.