CEDRIC Soares was reliving his Europeans Championship 2016 glory last summer with his parents over Christmas.

Now he is ready to “fight” to replicate that elation with his first trophy at Saints.

Claude Puel’s men have the opportunity to win Saints their first piece of major silverware since the FA Cup triumph 41 years ago.

But first they have to get past Premier League high-fliers Liverpool in their League Cup semi-final double header.

Cedric played alongside Saints captain Jose Fonte during Portugal’s famous Euro 2016 win last July and hasn’t stopped living that moment ever since.

“It was an amazing summer,” he said. “I was watching the game against France not long ago on Portuguese TV with my parents.

“I don’t really remember the way we played because we were under so much pressure that you cannot remember.

“I just got this amazing feeling about this game, about the way we won the Euro Cup, and the way we partied after and the way we were so proud to make our country proud of us.

“It’s a really amazing feeling. I don’t have words to explain it.”

His emotions are clear, as he bursts in to a wide smile at any mention of Portugal’s exploits.

“It’s something that will stay with me through my career forever,” he said. “I’m very proud to be part of it. It’s amazing.

“I remember we were there and we said to each other what we could achieve. Nobody did that in Portugal before and we did it.

“You are the first. It’s amazing and I feel proud. The way we won it, the way we fight for it.”

The League Cup may not have the same prestigious reputation as the European Championship, but the 25-year-old insists Saints must channel a similar mentality to Portugal as they head into their double header against Liverpool.

“A trophy is always a trophy even if people take away a little bit of the importance,” he said.

“Southampton need to fight for it. We are close. It’s just four teams and anything can happen.

“We say to each other in the Euros ‘we are already in the best four and everything can happen’.

“Let’s do this and try this. Let’s be focused on the trophy and to get there.”

Cedric won the Taca de Portugal – the Portuguese domestic cup – with Academica and Sporting Lisbon, before moving to Saints for £4.7m in June 2015.

He knows what it takes to emerge victorious from knockout competitions and is adamant Saints “can achieve some trophies”.

“It would be amazing,” he said. “To our profile it would be amazing when you win.

“You feel part of it.

“To be winning something with Southampton would be really nice because it’s my first experience out of my country and I really enjoy playing for Saints.

“I know the Premier League is difficult to be winning but of course we can achieve some trophies. It would be really good stuff.”