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 Tuesday, July 11, 2006Figo and Pauleta both bowing out Portugal winger Luis Figo and striker Pauleta both ended their international careers after the 3-1 World Cup third-place play-off defeat to Germany. Figo, 33, bowed out after winning his 127th cap - a record for Portugal - as a substitute in Stuttgart. "It is hard for me to end my international career in this way. I did everything I could and the team gave their all," said Figo. Pauleta played 88 times for Portugal, scoring 47 goals. "This is the saddest day of my career. Playing for this team, scoring for this team was what I most loved doing but my time has come," said the 33-year-old Paris St Germain forward. At the final whistle Figo was in tears after 15 years of international service came to an end. Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, who attended the match, said Figo had been "a great captain". This squad had in Luis Figo a great leader on the pitch," he told Portugal's SIC television. He has been arguably Portugal's finest player since the great Eusebio who top-scored at the 1966 World Cup with nine goals. 
Thursday, July 06, 2006Ronaldo defiant after crowd abuse Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo said he was "pleased" by the vitriolic reaction to his every touch in the World Cup semi-final loss to France. The crowd's response was thought to stem from his actions in the quarter-final win over England, when striker Wayne Rooney was sent off. But after Wednesday's match in Munich, which France won 1-0, Ronaldo, 21, said: "I was pleased about being booed. Maybe France fans were upset to see a dangerous player. I'm not worried." Ronaldo preferred to focus on the performance of referee Jorge Larrionda, claiming the Uruguayan was biased against his side. "We played well and did our best but the referee didn't help us," said the Manchester United player. Everyone who saw the match could see that the referee wasn't fair. He should have shown yellow cards but he did not because Portugal is a small country. We just have to carry on working and then we will be a big country." Zinedine Zidane netted the game's only goal in the 33rd minute when he neatly stroked a penalty past Portugal keeper Ricardo. "Portugal showed that they can play good football," added Ronaldo. "France were no better than we were. They got a penalty but not much else. We are disappointed not to reach the final after such a match. We really wanted to go through but didn't make it. It is the end of our dream. But we have to congratulate France." Portugal now play tournament hosts Germany in the third-place play-off match in Stuttgart on Saturday. "We think of the next game now and hopefully we can win it," Ronaldo said.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006Portugal 0-1 France France booked a World Cup final spot against Italy after Zinedine Zidane's first-half penalty earned victory over a disappointing Portugal in Munich. Zidane struck coolly past Ricardo on 33 minutes after Thierry Henry was tripped inside the box by Ricardo Carvalho. Henry saw another shot trickle wide and Franck Ribery forced Ricardo to save. Luis Figo and Deco saw shots saved by Fabien Barthez and Figo nodded over late on, but France stayed in control and thoroughly deserved their win. The final will be Zidane's last game before he retires from professional football and is a chance to win his second World Cup after the 1998 triumph on home soil. Zidane's influence on proceedings was not quite as substantial as in the previous rounds against Spain or Brazil, but apart from a lively start Portugal rarely looked like ending their French curse. They have not beaten France since 1975 and have still never beaten them in a major competition. But Luiz Felipe Scolari - who lost his 100% record as a coach at World Cup finals - saw his side begin well, with Deco and Figo both forcing saves from Fabien Barthez with low 20-yard drives. Cristiano Ronaldo was being roundly booed every time he touched the ball after his histrionics against England, but he was in fine form and twice had shots blocked as he surged at the French defence. Having made a slow start, Domenech's side clinically took the lead just after the half hour mark. Henry turned exquisitely just inside the area and was brought down by Carvalho, Zidane stepping up to decisively strike the penalty past Ricardo, who managed to get a hand on it. Ronaldo tried to win a spot-kick of his own moments later, but his theatrical dive under the slightest challenge from Willy Sagnol was ignored by referee Jorge Larrionda. Henry had a chance straight after the restart to double the lead, but after twisting and turning in the box his shot squirmed under Ricardo and out for a corner. Portugal looked far from threatening with the out-of-sorts Pauleta on his own up front and Ricardo had to save Ribery's drive as France stayed in control. The second half was a dire affair, scrappy and lacking any real creativity - it suited the French down to a tee because they never let Portugal back into the game. Their best chance was down to Barthez. He bizarrely parried a Ronaldo free-kick into the air but from six yards Figo could only head the rebound over. Figo and his team-mates tired badly and they simply could not muster a late rally to provide the French with any sort of threat. Scolari furiously marched onto the pitch at the final whistle to remonstrate with referee Larrionda, but had little reason to complain. The 57-year-old, who had won 12 World Cup games in a row as coach of Brazil and Portugal, was finally left to suffer the bitter taste of defeat.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006French learn to expect rough ride from Scolari Luiz Felipe Scolari arrived at his pre-match press conference to a standing ovation and left to a chorus of jeers and whistles yesterday. The applause came from Brazilian journalists delighted to have one of their countrymen left in Germany to follow, while the abuse was supplied by the international media, upset that a promise to answer questions in English and French had been broken. Portugal's progress to their first World Cup semi-final in 40 years has been marked by a cautious, sometimes negative, gameplan in a series of explosive encounters. The second-round match against Holland featured 16 yellow and four red cards and Saturday's display against England was memorable for the worldliness shown by even the youngest of the Portuguese squad rather than the creativity of a side apparently bent on stifling their opponents above all else.
Monday, July 03, 2006Ronaldo: no rift with Rooney 'Between the two of us everything has been cleared' There has been talk that Wayne Rooney plans to "split Cristiano Ronaldo in two" when he next sees him after the Portugal winger's apparent involvement in the red card Rooney was shown as Portugal defeated England in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday. But Ronaldo himself says there is no ill feeling between the pair - Manchester United team-mates - and that they have been in contact since the end of the match. Despite some reports suggesting the Portuguese star would be forced to leave United because of the bust-up, which flared after Rooney stamped on Ricardo Carvalho during the match, Ronaldo insists the air has been well and truly cleared. "The things that have been said regarding me and my team-mate and friend Rooney are incredible," he said. "Between me and Rooney, there is absolutely no problem. I reiterate, no problem. At the end of the game, we sent each other some text messages and also today. "Between the two of us everything has been cleared. He wished me the best of luck in the World Cup. He told me we had a great team and that if we continued to play like this, we would go far. He wasn't angry with me and moreover, he told me to completely ignore what the English press has said, that all they wanted was to create confusion but we are already used to that." As well as shrugging off suggestions that he was responsible for the red card shown to Rooney, saying, "I am not a referee," Ronaldo has played-down talk that he is keen to leave United for Real Madrid. "There have been comments published in which I reportedly said that I didn't want to go back to Manchester United," he said. "That is completely false, of course I want to go back. It's just typical of the English press but I don't lose any sleep."
Sunday, July 02, 2006England efforts impress Scolari Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari paid tribute to England's resilience after their dramatic World Cup quarter-final. England lost on penalties after keeping Portugal out for over an hour with 10 men following Wayne Rooney's dismissal. "Congratulations to England, with 10 players they were incredible - it was an electrifying match," said Scolari. "We didn't take advantage, we shot too much from outside the area. England closed the way to goal very well and it was like playing against 11." Portugal keeper Ricardo emerged as their hero after he kept out three of England's four penalties in the shoot-out. He said: "It was great. I managed to stop three of them. I'm really happy." Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo shrugged off a thigh injury to make the Portugal starting line-up. He scored the winning penalty and added: "I'm full of confidence and I shoot strong. I was tired in the second half but I haven't played for a week so it was OK." Portugal, which beat England in a shoot-out in the quarter-finals of the 2004 European Championship, will play France in the semi-finals on Wednesday in Munich. "We have four days to recover now so I think everyone's going to be ready," Ronaldo said.
Ricardo takes advantage of the fear in English eyes The Portugal goalkeeper who saved three England penalties in the quarter-final shoot-out said yesterday he could see fear inhibiting Sven-Goran Eriksson's players as they stepped up to take their spot-kicks. "I could see in the eyes of the English players that they were not okay," Ricardo said. "The goal was shrinking for them. I just had to prolong their suffering." Ricardo's success on Saturday added to his triumph against England in a shoot-out at Euro 2004. He said videos had helped him predict which way England players would steer their penalties but believes other factors also aided him. "Some goalkeepers pick up the ball, some move on the line a lot," he said. "My technique is only to make them feel worried. Then I try to read in his eyes or in his soul and try to predict what he is going to do and then fool him. I felt like I had many conditions to beat the English in the penalties. We are never sure of anything but I knew that I could stop one or two." As in Lisbon two years ago, Ricardo looked at the crowd when his team-mates were taking their penalties. He focused on a solitary Portugal fan in a sea of English faces to judge whether the spot-kick had been scored or missed. "I saw the expression of a small Portuguese guy who was nervous with his scarf in the middle of so many English shirts," he said. "I will never forget his face. I always looked at him to see if he was laughing or crying." Ricardo rejected the idea that Portugal had a psychological hold on England but suggested his team had come to penalties more confident because they had been superior during the game. Joyous Portugal fans chanted the goalkeeper's name when he walked about the training base yesterday and he was applauded by his country's press before sitting down to address them. The Sporting Lisbon player faced criticism before the tournament, with some observers believing Vitor Baia should be the country's No1, but Ricardo has joined a list of keepers who have earned great praise at this competition. Germany's Jens Lehmann and Italy's Gianluigi Buffon are among others. "I am happy to know that this is the World Cup of goalkeepers," he said. It is also a World Cup that has swelled Luiz Felipe Scolari's already impressive reputation. "It seems like one of these days he will have to wear a baby's bib because we are only saying good things about him," Ricardo joked. He said Scolari had brought great unity to the squad and is delighted England approached the coach at a time when he would not consider offers. "Now maybe he is going to stay with us," he said.
Saturday, July 01, 2006England 0-0 Portugal... Portugal are through to semis.... England went out of the World Cup 3-1 on penalties after their quarter-final with Portugal ended 0-0. England lost skipper David Beckham to injury just after half-time and Wayne Rooney was sent off after 62 minutes for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho. They battled on bravely for the rest of normal time and extra-time with 10 men to take the game to a shoot-out. But Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher missed to end their hopes and Sven-Goran Eriksson's reign. The coach had promised a big performance from his side but until Rooney's early exit it was not forthcoming. Rooney endured a frustrating game and his patience finally snapped as he got tangled up with Carvalho and Armando Petit and appeared to aim a stamp at the Chelsea player's groin. The incident occurred right in front of Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo, who was urged on by Portugal players - including Rooney's Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo - to issue a red card. Elizondo took a moment before sending Rooney from the field and with it seemingly went England's World Cup hopes. But roared on by the England fans that made the AufSchalke Arena like a home game, they finally showed the passion and heart for a battle so often missing in this World Cup campaign. Portugal were far from their best but they at least caused some worrying moments at the back for England in a tense first half. A deep Luis Figo free-kick was not dealt with by Gary Neville or Lampard and there was huge relief for England to see Tiago slip with the goal at his mercy. Tiago almost caused further problems when he was given a free header in the box that Paul Robinson clambered across to save. Eriksson was forced to change things round six minutes into the second half with Beckham struggling with an ankle problem. Beckham almost won a penalty with his last contribution of the game - and probably his chances of winning a World Cup - when his cross hit the hand of Nuno Valente but England's appeals came to nothing. He was replaced by Aaron Lennon and was seen on the sidelines looking anguished as treatment was performed on his ankle, although he did later bare the pain long enough to berate the referee following Rooney's dismissal. Lampard, who endured another miserable time in front of goal, mistimed a volley after finding himself unmarked from a Gerrard corner. Lennon's introduction gave England brief hope as his pace took him past two players, but when the ball fell for Rooney he almost completely missed and Joe Cole's effort was just too high. But then came Rooney's premature exit, with Jole Cole sacrificed for Peter Crouch. With temperatures again close to 30C it seemed only so long that England's brave 10-man backs-to-the-wall effort could hold out the Portugal onslaught. England's best hope of a goal was a set-piece and Lampard fired in a free-kick that Ricardo did well to keep out, with Lennon scuffing his attempt to put in the rebound. A deflected John Terry shot just looped over the bar after some brilliant work from an outstanding Owen Hargreaves, but Helder Postiga also blazed over in a nerve-jangling injury time. The drama continued through to extra-time with England showing remarkable energy to match their opponents. Crouch almost got on the end of a Gerrard cross but at the other end it needed some desperate last-ditch defending and some solid keeping from Robinson. The game seemed destined to be decided by a penalty shoot-out, just like when the sides met in Euro 2004. And unfortunately for England it ended in the same result. Only Hargreaves - who had easily his best game in an England shirt - was successful from the spot. Lampard, Gerrard and Carragher - who scored at the first attempt but had to retake - all saw their efforts saved by Ricardo. Hugo Viana and Armando Petit missed to give Eriksson's side brief hope, but when Helder Postiga and Ronaldo scored England's dream of being crowned world champions was over for another four years.
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