‘A Small Country with a Big Ambition’

Abstract

This article examines the way aspects of Portugal and Portuguese culture and society are talked about in and around the media coverage of a major international sporting event. It focuses on how things other than sport get talked about against the backdrop of a major international sporting and media event, and how these discourses connect with wider political, economic and cultural frames of reference. The research draws from newspaper coverage of Euro 2004 in the Portuguese and British newspaper markets. It examines the distinctive news sports agendas in both countries and shows how there is a growing distinction between the more European style of sports journalism in the British broadsheet/compact market and that of the tabloid newspapers in this country. It also outlines the differing versions of Portugal presented to the world from within two differing European newspaper markets.