From the red card-prone, brainless executioner to an accomplished central defender. Pepe has made some sizeable steps in his career, and has now become a vital member for Portgual's chances of glory. Make no mistake, Portugal need Pepe if they want to achieve glory for their nation and right the wrongs of 2004.
Portugal started this tournament looking as if they would be more attacking, and score a lot of goals. Then somehow, that win never came, chances were missed and as of writing they are yet to win a game in ninety minutes. All that promise of them being one of the best attacking teams out there in what was a very easy group for them, quickly vanished after the group stages.
Although that Hungarian game was very exciting for all the wrong reasons for them.
It's simply not clicked for them. Not as if they are playing badly, or they don't have the players. The chances are being created but they haven't been put away. Cristiano has to bear responsibility as he's been involved in some amazing service from his teammates that he's been unable to convert. The best being the exquisite chip-pass from Moutinho that he failed to connect with. Any kind of connection and he beats Fabianski.
So in the last knockout games, the narrative has changed and instead of Portugal's talented attack, it's been their defence that has shone. And Pepe has been the standout not only for Portugal but in the whole Euros. It's been a mixture of some expert reading of the game, clean tackling and overall mature and professional defensive work which has made him one of the most important players for Pepe. Their manager, Santos, can have confidence that even if they fail to score, they won't be breached with the enforcer from Real Madrid in the team.
I've been impressed by how well Pepe has improved in a position that was not where he started. He started as a defensive midfielder, which is a similar but essentially very different role from a central defender. In the midfield you have to balance between defending and being part of the midfield and holding possession for your team. This is in contrast to the center back position which is probably the most psychological of any in all of football. You have to be a scholar in the game and be two or three steps ahead of everyone else.
Pepe had a rocky start in the position, getting red card after red card. Relying on last ditch tackles which he failed to make, and looked totally out of his element. But he kept at it, kept on growing and has now gotten the knack of the role. His reading of the game has vastly improved and so he doesn't have to get himself in those situations where he'd need to make a rash challenge.
He's two steps ahead of the curve.
As we come into a semi-final and possibly a final for Portugal, Pepe will again need to command the backline. Carvalho may be old enough to be his grandad, but Pepe is the true defensive leader and father. It's the old man who has to follow the younger one's lead. Where Carvalho will lose a step, Pepe will be there to clear things up.
Against Wales, assuming Pepe is fit to play, we assume the game will be tight with both teams not wanting to make a mistake. That is where Santos will again be reliant on Pepe to be the consistent performer that he's been throughout this tournament and ensure they do not get breached.
It's up to the attacker to do their job on the other end. HH
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