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Tag: portugal

  • C.Ronaldo spotted at Real Madrid training session

    C.Ronaldo spotted at Real Madrid training session

    Portugal international, Cristiano Ronaldo has been spotted at Real Madrid’s training session on Friday.

    Real Madrid are currently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, making final preparations for their Supercopa de Espana final against Barcelona.

    The five-time Balon d’ or winner is currently at the Four Seasons Hotel located in the Saudi Arabian capital.

    He visited his former club’s training session and was also spotted sharing a moment with Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti.

    Recall that Ronaldo was under the tutelage of present Real Madrid coach, Ancelloti for two years at the Santiago Bernabeu

    Diario AS reports that the 37-year-old, who recently signed a two and a half years deal with Al Nassr, has been invited by his former club to attend the game.

    Ronaldo is currently under the pay roll of Saudi Arabian clubside Al Nassr and will seek for permission to attend the Supercopa de Espana final in the city.

     

  • Atletico Madrid axe Joao Felix from squad

    Atletico Madrid axe Joao Felix from squad

    La Liga side Atletico Madrid has axed Portuguese forward Joao Felix from its squad for their Copa del Rey game against Oviedo.

    There is speculation about the future of Felix this winter, with the attacker linked with a move away from the club.

    Felix, who impressed at the World Cup with Portugal, is not getting along with Atleti coach Diego Simeone.

    However, reports in Spain and England this week have indicated that a move is very difficult at present.

    While the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal retain an interest, Atleti want a significant loan fee or a massive transfer fee to part with Felix.

    Unless a club makes a mega offer, he appears likely to remain at Atleti until the summer.

  • Ronaldo has damaged his legacy with ego tricks – Matthaus

    Ronaldo has damaged his legacy with ego tricks – Matthaus

    Germany World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthaus believes Cristiano Ronaldo has hurt his “legacy” over the past month.

    Ronaldo has talked his way into a contract termination at Manchester United, while he also disappointed at the World Cup with Portugal.

    Matthaus told BILD: “With his ego tricks, Ronaldo has hurt the team and himself. There is no doubt that he was an amazing player and an absolutely deadly finisher. But now he has damaged his legacy. I have a hard time believing that he can find a place in a team. I feel a little sorry for Ronaldo.

    “Ronaldo is of course a major failure of the World Cup, the opposite of (Lionel) Messi. (Messi is) the absolute winner. He deserves it because he has given me and all the football fans great joy with his qualities and how he has played over 17-18 years. For me, Messi is the player of the millennium.”

  • Ronaldo leads 10 Portugal players shunning Santos after sack

    Ronaldo leads 10 Portugal players shunning Santos after sack

    Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo is among ten Portugal players who have not publicly responded after the dismissal of manager Fernando Santos.

    Santos was axed following their dismal World Cup exit at the hands of Morocco in the quarter-finals.

    Santos was sacked on Thursday following their 1-0 defeat to the North African side to cap off a tension-filled tournament dominated by Ronaldo, who did not seen eye-to-eye with his coach in Qatar amid issues with his behaviour – before he was dropped for the knockout games against Switzerland and Morocco.

    Now Portuguese outlets Record and A Bola have documented the divide among the squad – with ten stars failing to acknowledge Santos following his sacking, despite leading the team to Euro 2016 glory – as well as the Nations League in 2018-19.

    The other players who have followed Ronaldo in staying silent are Joao Cancelo – who has also had an uneasy relationship with Santos – Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Diogo Dalot, Antonio Silva, Joao Palhinha, Ruben Neves, Ricardo Horta, and Rafael Leao.

  • Portugal sacks Ronaldo’s coach after World Cup quarter-final exit

    Portugal sacks Ronaldo’s coach after World Cup quarter-final exit

    The Portugal national team coach to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Fernando Santos has been sacked by officials of the Portuguese football Federation over his inability to get past the quarter-final stage at the Mundial.

    The former European champions crashed out of the 2022 World Cup, following a 1-0 defeat to Morocco in the quarter-finals.

    The 68-year-old  gaffer tinkered Portugal to 2016 European Championships triumph and subsequently won the maiden UEFA Nations League in 2018/2019.

    He was at the helm of affairs for eight years before being booted out on Thursday, December 15th.

    However, at the moment the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF) are now hunting for a new head coach ahead of their Euro 2024 campaign.

    Recall that Santos  dropped captain Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of his side’s last-16 clash against Switzerland and Morocco.

    Goncalo Ramos was used instead and the young chap scored a fantastic hattrick against Switzerland in the second round fixture.

    Portugal defeated eventually defeated Switzerland by 6-1 to progress to Quarter-final stage of the World Cup.

    Coach Santos lost patience with the 37-year-old following his angry reaction after being substituted against South Korea during the group stage.

    Ronaldo was however introduced in the second half of the quarter-final fixture against Morocco but unfortunately they crashed out and earned the Afro/Arab nation the contingent’s first semi-final representation.

    Reports say Christiano Ronaldo is training with Real Madrid of Spain’s facilities and may be heading to Saudi Arabia in January if the deal with Al-Hilal sees the light of the day.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Real Madrid

    Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Real Madrid

    Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has been using Real Madrid’s training base to keep fit after Portugal’s World Cup exit.

    After his contract at Manchester United was cancelled last month, Ronaldo is free to join another club on 1 January.

    Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr have made a big-money offer for the 37-year-old forward, although it is understood he has other options.

    Ronaldo trained alone at Real’s Valdebebas base and there is no option of a return to the Spanish club.

    Ronaldo’s second spell at Manchester United was brought to a premature end after a controversial interview in which the five-time Ballon d’Or winner criticised the club and said he had “no respect” for manager Erik ten Hag.

  • Jose Mourinho gets new job offer

    Jose Mourinho gets new job offer

    The Portugal Football Federation has approached Roma manager, Jose Mourinho, about replacing Fernando Santos as the national team’s head coach.

    It is believed they are ready to allow Mourinho to continue with the Serie A club ahead of Euro 2024.

    According to Corriere dello Sport, the football federation is ready for a change after their 2022 World Cup exit against Morocco last week.

    Santos, who won the Euro 2016, looks to be coming to the end of his time after a six-year spell.

    And Mourinho has been identified as the right man to reverse Portugal’s fortunes in their next major tournament.

    Portugal kick off their Euro 2024 qualifying chapter on March 23 against

  • Why Ronaldo won’t play again for Portugal – Ex-Man Utd defender

    Why Ronaldo won’t play again for Portugal – Ex-Man Utd defender

    Former Manchester United defender Paul McGrath believes Cristiano Ronaldo has played his last game for Portugal.

    After Portugal’s World Cup quarterfinal defeat to Morocco, McGrath wrote for the Sunday World: “Those who say that the top players don’t care about international football might change their mind on seeing Ronaldo’s tears as he walked down the tunnel last night.

    “He may have been earning half a million pounds a week at Manchester United, but those were the tears of a man who knew he had lost a last chance at winning something money cannot buy you: a World Cup winner’s medal.

    “Cristiano will be 41 by the time the next circus kicks off in North America in the summer, thankfully, of 2026.

    “He won’t be playing then. But would the great man be tempted to give it one last fling for the Euro 2024 Finals, only 18 months away?

    “He might and then he might not. First off, he has a Euro medal from six years ago, it was the World Cup one he wanted.

    “Secondly, Cristiano will certainly walk if Santos stays on as coach.

    “I’d say the relationship between the pair of them is broken beyond repair.

    “If a new boss were to come in and say to Cristiano, ‘Look, I want you to give it one more go under these conditions,’ yes, I think he’d be tempted.

    “But do Portugal need him? They have cracking young forwards in Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix, and Rafael Leao.

    “Would the great Ronaldo, with all those goals, get in the way of their development, if he was still even a squad man with Portugal.

    “Probably. And that’s why a shock defeat to Morocco is likely to be the last we’ll ever see in international football of one of the greatest of them all.”

  • Qatar 2022: You can’t underestimate the best player’ – Ronaldo’s partner slams Santos

    Qatar 2022: You can’t underestimate the best player’ – Ronaldo’s partner slams Santos

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner Georgina Rodríguez has slammed Portugal’s coach for their shock World Cup defeat to Morocco on Saturday.

    Ronaldo came from the bench in their 1-0 defeat to Morocco in Qatar.

    The North African side became the first ever African nation to reach the semi-final stage of the FIFA World Cup.

    Ronaldo wept as he hurried down the tunnel after full-time of what is likely his last World Cup.

    Santos used the same starting XI that beat Switzerland 6-1 in the round of sixteen, meaning that the legendary Ronaldo began the game on the bench.

    “Today your friend and coach made the wrong decision,” Rodríguez posted on Instagram.

    “That friend for whom you have so many words of admiration and respect. The same one who, when putting you on the field, saw how everything changed, but it was too late.

    “You can’t underestimate the best player of the world, his most powerful weapon. Much less should one stand up for those who don’t deserve it.”

  • Qatar 2022: Morocco shocks Portugal, grabs semi-final ticket

    Qatar 2022: Morocco shocks Portugal, grabs semi-final ticket

    Morocco has qualified for the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup presently holding in Qatar following their slim margin win over Europe power football house Portugal in Al Thumama stadium.

    The Moroccan side had much of Africa and the Arab world behind them as they played their heart out to ensure they become first African side ever in the history of the World Cup to reach the last four of the Mundial.

    Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi have led a team that has only conceded one goal all tournament and it was an own goal conceded in the game against Canada.

    In the 42nd minute, Morocco Ounahi finds Attiyat-Allah down the left, he curls in a high cross, En-Nesyri leaps like a salmon, gets there first and nods into an empty net for the first and the only goal of the thrilling encounter.

    Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa,  came for the ball  but didn’t get it, leaving his goal exposed.

    High-profile forward Ronaldo, 37, was left in tears at the final whistle, as he stormed down the tunnel in the knowledge his last shot at the global title is almost certainly gone.

    The result meant that Morocco will play the winner of the match between France and England to anticipate playing in the final.