Euro 2012 Bracket: Cristiano Ronaldo Gives Portugal Chance to Make Extended Run

Portugal won the first Euro 2012 quarterfinal matchup by a 1-0 margin over the Czech Republic. Cristiano Ronaldo's header in the 79th minute gave Portugal an insurmountable late advantage.

With that match out of the way, let's take a look at the rest of the Euro schedule.

Date	Matchup	Time	Round	Watch
6/21/2012	Czech Republic vs. Portugal	2:45 p.m. ET	Quarterfinals	ESPN/ESPN3
6/22/2012	Germany vs. Greece	2:45 p.m. ET	Quarterfinals	ESPN/ESPN3
6/23/2012	Spain vs. France	2:45 p.m. ET	Quarterfinals	ESPN2/ESPN3
6/24/2012	England vs. Italy	2:45 p.m. ET	Quarterfinals	ESPN/ESPN3
6/27/2012	Quarterfinal 1 winner vs. Quarterfinal 3 winner	2:45 p.m. ET	Semifinals	ESPN/ESPN3
6/28/2012	Quarterfinal 2 winner vs. Quarterfinal 4 winner	2:45 p.m. ET	Semifinals	ESPN/ESPN3
7/1/2012	Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner	2:45 p.m. ET	Finals	ESPN/ESPN

Portugal will play the winner of Saturday's matchup between Spain and France. Both would provide stiff competition, but neither has a player like Ronaldo to their credit.

Ronaldo is the world's most expensive player for a reason. He has scored 112 goals in 101 career appearances with La Liga's Real Madrid. He strikes fear into the world's best defenders because of his breathtaking agility and stunning array of open-field moves.

On the international stage, Ronaldo has 35 goals in 94 appearances. If opponents do not know where he is, it doesn't take them long to find out. He can strike at any time, and he is always hunting the ball.

Very few players attract this kind of attention. He commands so much focus that other players, like Nani, look even better.

Ronaldo's impact doesn't just show in the box score. He is Portugal's leader and he is what every team thinks about before facing the Portuguese side. His iconic status makes the rest of his squad better and gives them a chance to advance deep into any tournament.

Football fans are used to CR7's dazzling offensive displays. He seems to hold the ball on a string and is lethal on set pieces.

There isn't any existing way that he can't hurt you. If you name it, he can do it.

Portugal's defense has been better than expected, but it will be tested in its next match. Spain is one of the most balanced offenses in the world, and France has a few exciting young attackers.

If Portugal's defense can hold up and Ronaldo continues to get support, they can make a run. Their best player has hit his stride after a slow start, and now there may be no looking back.

No other team in this tournament has a player like this in its back pocket. He could turn the remainder of this tournament on its head.