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Tag: portugal

  • Cristiano Ronaldo best of all time – Pepe

    Cristiano Ronaldo best of all time – Pepe

    Porto defender Pepe has heaped praise on Juventus striker and Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

    The pair played together at Real Madrid.

    “I admire Cristiano a lot, for me he’s the best player of all time,” said Pepe in an interview with TNT Sports.

    “Ronaldo managed to do what no one else did. He won in England, Spain, Italy, and even in Portugal. He was our captain, many people criticise him without knowing who he really is.

    “Ronaldo was with me at Real Madrid when Casillas knocked me out twice. On one occasion Cristiano came to see me in the hospital, because he saw that my injury was a serious one.

    “During the Champions League match, I told him ‘You will play because I want to win with you on the field’. Cristiano replied ‘Okay, with me you will win on the field, but I will be the one to make it to the next round.”

  • Serbia, Portugal could have avoided Ronaldo fury – UEFA

    Serbia, Portugal could have avoided Ronaldo fury – UEFA

    A Cristiano Ronaldo goal not given in a dramatic 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Serbia and Portugal should have stood, UEFA said on Monday.

    Europe’s football governing body said the goal would have stood if the two football associations had agreed before the game to use goal-line technology.

    Portugal captain Ronaldo was left fuming and got booked for dissent after his stoppage-time effort in Saturday’s Group A 2-2 draw at Serbia was cleared by Stefan Mitrovic.

    Mitrovic’s clearance came after the ball had crossed the line, as shown by television replays.

    With no Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in place to review the incident, match officials waved play on.

    But a livid Ronaldo left the pitch seconds before the final whistle as he also threw away the captain’s armband while heading towards the tunnel.

    “The decision to use goal-line technology for the European Qualifiers lies with the host association for each match,” the European football governing body said.

    “If the host association plans to implement goal-line technology, they must also obtain written consent from the visiting association in order for it to be used,” UEFA added.

    Match referee Danny Makkelie said on Monday that he had apologised to Portugal coach Fernando Santos and the rest of the team for the mistake.

    “All I can say is that I said `sorry’ to the coach and the team about what happened.

    “As a refereeing team we always work hard to take the right decisions. When we are in the news for a reason like this, it doesn’t make us happy at all,” he said.

    Santos said after the game it was unacceptable not to have VAR at this level of competition.

    But UEFA on Sunday said the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to install the system in time for the qualifiers.

    “In 2019, UEFA had proposed to (world football governing body) FIFA the implementation of VAR in the current World Cup qualifiers,” it said.

    “The impact of the pandemic on operational and logistical capabilities led UEFA to delay the implementation of VAR in the Europa League group phase (to 2021/2022 instead of 2020/2021) as well as to withdraw the proposal to implement VAR in the 2022 European qualifiers.

    “VAR was also not in use in the UEFA Nations League group stage in the autumn of 2020 and has therefore to-date never been used in UEFA national team qualifying group stage matches.”

    FIFA, which organises the World Cup, said it was informed by UEFA in January that VAR could not be used in qualifiers.

    It had said this was due to the “issues and restrictions” caused by the novel coronavirus.

    The result left Serbia top of the group on four points from two games, ahead of Portugal on goal difference.

    The two teams meet again in the reverse fixture in Portugal on Nov. 14 in the final round of matches

  • Portugal coach: I’m ready to give Ronaldo advice about Juve

    Portugal coach: I’m ready to give Ronaldo advice about Juve

    Portugal coach Fernando Santos says he’s available to Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo if he needs advice about his future.

    Ronaldo’s future at Juventus has become the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks.

    “If he were to ask me for advice on his future, I would always be available,” Santos said. “I could certainly give it to him.

    “I know him very well, I have trained him since he was 18, I have a great relationship with him. We talk a lot, but the things we tell each other stay between us.

    “Cristiano has won everything at club level, after the European Championship in 2016, he only has to win the World Cup.”

  • Portugal President Rebelo de Sousa wins re-election

    Portugal President Rebelo de Sousa wins re-election

    President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has been re-elected for a second five-year term in Portugal’s presidential election in the first round, according to official results from the electoral commission.

    With 99 per cent of the votes counted, the 72-year-old conservative politician and former TV journalist and law professor received 61 per cent of the votes on Sunday, the electoral commission announced.

    Five years ago, he had received some 52 per cent of the vote.

    Rebelo de Sousa avoided a run-off on Feb. 14 against the runner-up because he won over 50 per cent of the vote.

    According to the forecasts, former member of the European Parliament and Socialist candidate Ana Gomes came in second with 12.7 per cent, ahead of the leader of the right-wing populist party Chega! (Enough!), Andre Ventura on 11.9 per cent.

    Incumbent Rebelo de Sousa headed into Sunday’s election as the favourite by a wide margin – although there had been worries that the raging pandemic could still upset expectations.

    The number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within the previous seven days was recently around 750, which is one of the highest values worldwide.

    Although the president seems to enjoy a personal touch with voters, there had been concerns in his camp that the pandemic could suppress turnout and cause an upset.

    Turnout was poor at about 40 per cent, which was attributed to the coronavirus pandemic, even dipping below a record low turnout of 46.5 per cent presidential elections in 2011.

    Rebelo de Sousa is highly credited for the fact that, as a conservative politician, he not only criticises and holds in check the left-wing government of Prime Minister Antonio Costa, but also supports it.

    He attaches great importance to the political stability of the country.

    The cooperation between Rebelo de Sousa and Costa in the proclamation and shaping of the coronavirus state of emergency, among other things, has worked almost without friction so far.

    The head of state has a relatively large amount of power in Portugal.

    The president can veto laws as well as dissolve parliament and call new elections.

    For Portugal, this was the 10th presidential election since the Carnation Revolution of 1974.

    A total of 10.86 million people were eligible to vote and the Portuguese living abroad are also included.

    The country of emigration, which saw hundreds of thousands depart during the euro crisis a few years ago, has more eligible voters than citizens, who number 10.3 million.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo tests positive for coronavirus

    Cristiano Ronaldo tests positive for coronavirus

    Cristiano Ronaldo has been ruled out of Portugal’s clash with Sweden after testing positive for Covid-19.

    The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed the news in an official statement on Tuesday, which reads: “Cristiano Ronaldo was released from training with the national team after a positive test for Covid-19, so he will not face Sweden.

  • Spain, Portugal confirm 2030 FIFA World Cup bid

    Spain, Portugal confirm 2030 FIFA World Cup bid

    Spain and Portugal have signed an agreement to push ahead with their joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Wednesday.

    The countries’ federations ratified an agreement “to promote the joint candidacy for the organisation of the World Cup in 2030, establishing strategies for the international projection of both federations and countries”, the RFEF said in a statement.

    The federations, which signed the agreement before a friendly between their national teams in Lisbon, had began analysing the possibility of a joint bid last year.

    “Few things can generate more hope and anticipation that the opportunity to organise a World Cup (present) and we can’t think of a better companion than Portugal,” said RFEF president Luis Rubiales.

    Spain hosted the 1982 World Cup and launched a failed bid along with Portugal to stage the 2018 tournament which was awarded to Russia.

    Portugal has never staged the World Cup but did hold the 2004 European Championship.

    Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay have announced they will make a four-way bid which could have sentimental value as Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930.

    The UK’s four associations are contemplating a joint bid along with Ireland while Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Romania are also planning a joint bid.

    The bidding process formally starts in 2022 with FIFA to choose the hosts in 2024.

  • Portuguese team walk back from stadium after Cup defeat

    Portuguese team walk back from stadium after Cup defeat

    Third tier team Lusitania Lourosa left the stadium on foot following a Portuguese Cup defeat, after club officials allegedly sent the team bus away.

    The incident was described by the footballers’ union on Monday as “lamentable.”

    Lourosa lost their first round tie 1-0 to local rivals Sao Joao de Ver on Sunday.

    Videos on Twitter later showed the squad walking back to their training ground, around five kilometres away.

    Club president Hugo Mendes said the team took the decision as a form of self-criticism.

    “There was no punishment,” he said.

    However, the Portuguese players’ union (SAFP) said the club had ordered the team bus to leave.

    “The union expects nothing less from the president of Lourosa than an immediate apology to the squad for this lamentable episode which does nothing to dignify Portuguese football,” it said in a statement.

    The Portuguese Cup features 165 teams from the top four tiers of the league system, with the top flight sides entering in the third round.

  • Maniche shares memories with Jose Mourinho

    Maniche shares memories with Jose Mourinho

    Former Chelsea and Porto midfielder Maniche has recalled working with Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho.

    It’s 20 years since Maniche first played for Mourinho at Benfica and he admits the players had never before experienced the man-management employed by the Special One.

    He told O Jogo: “The way of working and communicating was a tremendous novelty.

    “The confidence transmitted was so strong that we thought we were excellent players.

    “On the eve of the game with Boavista, Karel Poborsky said he wanted to play at number 10. Mourinho called him to the dressing room, told him to sit in his chair and asked to explain it to him…”

    Maniche added: “It was not by chance that he wrote the preface to my book. The text is powerful and reflects what I am. He is a coach who takes players to the clubs he knows and gives guarantees. He won very important titles, broke records after records and likes to be on the front line. That’s why he is one of the best.”

    Maniche played for Mourinho at Benfica, Porto and Chelsea.

  • Man Utd hail Ronaldo for reaching Portugal landmark

    Man Utd hail Ronaldo for reaching Portugal landmark

    Manchester United have congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo after he scored his his 100th and 101st goals for Portugal.

    The Juventus star became the second male player to reach the landmark of 100 international goals in the 2-0 win over Sweden on Tuesday.

    The 35-year-old opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick from 25 yards, before doubling his tally in the second half with a delightful curling finish.

  • Ronaldo told me he’ll probably end up in America – Nani

    Cristiano Ronaldo told Nani that he “will probably end up in America” at some point of his career, the Orlando City winger has claimed.

    The pair have been team-mates at club and international level, having shared the flanks at Manchester United and for Portugal.

    Ronaldo has been tipped to follow in the footsteps of the likes of David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thierry Henry and David Villa in winding down his career in MLS and, now 35, that day may well be approaching.

    “A couple of years ago, he told me that he will probably end up in America,” Nani told ESPN.

    “It’s not 100 per cent, but probably. There is a chance.”