Hungary 0 - 1 Portugal :Great escape launched?
Hungary 0 - 1 Portugal : Keeping the dream alive!
After an entire first half of this I was dismayed to see Queiroz sub Deco with Simão. The game was screaming for Maniche! Screaming! But… Maniche wasn’t on the bench was he? Nope. Maniche was as dismayed as I was sitting uncomfortably in the stands! Ok then who did we have that could win us the midfield battle? Moutinho was on the bench. He doesn’t have the strongest build but Simão isn’t exactly built like Arnold Schwarzenegger either. Come to think of it the lads are very similar in appearance. Oh well sometimes playing ugly wins you games and this was clearly the case.
Denmark - 18
Sweden - 15
Portugal - 13
Hungary - 13
Albania - 7
Malta - 1
Denmark - Sweden (Oct. 10)
Portugal - Hungary (Oct. 10)
Denmark - Hungary (Oct. 14)
Sweden - Albania (Oct. 14)
Portugal - Malta (Oct. 14)
Real Madrid fear CR9 World Cup crisis
Star players in danger of missing out on next year's World Cup
The Magnetic Effect Of Cristiano Ronaldo
I am very openly supportive of Manchester United so if anyone feels a bit angry, disappointed or sad if I criticize another team(ahem ahem..Harshly), please forgive me. It’s in my blood." Cristiano Ronaldo: 'I can’t please everyone'
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is feeling the heat following Portugal's dismal qualifying matches leading up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Ronaldo, 24, was disappointed when team Portugal lost to Denmark Sept. 5 and tied with Sweden recently. 
“We are sad, and we know that we have to do better,” Cristiano told reporters after the Denmark game. “I can please a lot of people and bring happiness to many, but I can’t please everyone.”
The super-competitive Ronaldo once admitted that he cries after losing a match. "I still cry sometimes out of sadness when we lose," Cristiano confessed.
In fact, Ronaldo's older sister Elma revealed that Cris used to cry over the phone to her after he left his home island of Madeira to play with Sporting Lisbon at the tender age of 11.
"He was alone in Portugal and used to cry on the phone many nights," said Elma. "We cried too because we missed him, and because he was young and alone."
Fortunately, Ronaldo's early sacrifices have paid off big time. In June, Cristiano made history as the world's most expensive footballer after Real Madrid paid a record £80 million transfer fee to acquire him from Manchester United.
Since then, Ronaldo has stated he is training around the clock to recover his form. "I will prove to myself, my family, those who love me and those people who hired me, that I am worth it," he said. "I am very demanding of myself and I am working hard to reach the level that I am used to playing at. The pressure is great, but I am used to that."
Team Portugal faces off against Hungary Sept. 9 before home matches, a return game with the Hungary, and Malta. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will play Espanyol Barcelona Sept. 12.
The world expects Ronaldo to deliver
Lionel Messi’s Argentina were well beaten by Brazil on Saturday night in Rosario, leaving Diego Maradona’s side an uncertain fourth in the South American qualifying group.
Ronaldo cut a forlorn figure as he left Denmark’s national stadium on Saturday night.
Portugal face a key trip to Hungary this week, before home matches, a return game with the Hungary, and Malta.
The Portuguese public are understandably vexed, though their media are more critical and accuse Ronaldo of not taking his national team duty seriously. One columnist unfairly opined that Ronaldo would prefer the beach and the company of Hollywood babes next summer, misunderstanding the motivation and determination which has seen him realise his potential to be crowned Fifa’s World Player of the Year.
Ronaldo is also used to pressure and great expectations. These have moved up a notch at Real Madrid, where the frothy tabloid culture, his single status and tag of being the world’s most expensive player have made him the prime focus of media attention.
Because of the Ronaldo obsession, Real’s other stellar signings like Kaka can lead relatively quiet lives. That is not to say that Ronaldo is not enjoying his new life in Spain.
“I’m just a normal person,” Ronaldo said last week, “leading a very unnormal life.”
Ronaldo also has his family for support. Unlike Manchester where his bachelor pad did not always have the type of environment of which Sir Alex Ferguson would approve, his family now live with him in a plush Madrid suburb popular with other footballers.
Now, they are reunited and happy where the language is similar to Portuguese, as are the culture and climate. His family were present in the Bernabeu for his competitive Real debut against Deportivo La Coruna last week, when Ronaldo scored a penalty. Raul usually takes Real’s spot kicks, but Ronaldo was adamant. It was as if he wanted to prove to himself that he can score for Real Madrid. He has shown glimpses of the outstanding form which became the norm at Old Trafford, but coach Manuel Pellegrini stated that he still needs a little more time to adapt to Spanish football – something Ronaldo acknowledges.
Challenges will come aplenty. He will play his first away game with Real at Espanyol on Saturday, but he knows that the biggest tests will be when he is expected to be a match winner in a Champions League knockout game or against Barcelona. That is the level of expectation attached to his talents, which justified the £80 million (Dh480m) fee. Despite the pressure, Ronaldo is sanguine and realistic. “I can please a lot of people and bring happiness to many,” he said, “but I can’t please everyone.”
Valdano: Ronaldo Signing Spelled The End For Robben
Robben joined Bayern Munich at the end of August for a fee of around €25 million but Valdano says that the Dutchman's fate was sealed once Ronaldo joined the capital city outfit.
"When a club signs someone like Cristiano Ronaldo, a player with the characteristics of [Arjen] Robben should go. It is difficult to have two players in that category, one clear headline and one back-up."
Valdano also reserved special praise for the Portuguese star, describing him as a "thorough professional" but suggested that he is a victim of his own successful image.
"Cristiano is just content being the best player in the world," said Valdano, "He is a prodigious natural talent and a thorough professional. He is a player with so much media power that it ends up creating a strong prejudice.
Countdown to South Africa
Denmark 1-1 Portugal: Liedson Debut Goal Not Enough
Portugal came close to scoring in the seventh minute, when Cristiano Ronaldo latched onto a through ball down the left, before moving past one defender, but his right-foot effort went slightly over the bar.
Four minutes later, Portugal produced more danger through a fast counter-attack that found Ronaldo without marking, but the Real Madrid ace's shot went straight at the keeper.
Denmark responded in the 16th minute as the ball luckily found the path of Jacobsen but the midfielder, with only the keeper to beat, could not direct it goalwards from close range.
In the 21st minute, the visitors wasted another chance. A low cross from Duda down the left found Simao, who did well to control the ball but his shot was weak and went straight into the hands of the keeper.
Portugal were dominating the game at this stage but were unable to capitalize on the many chances they were producing.
On 40 minutes, there were penalty claims by Portugal after Cristensen's hand ball inside the box but the referee waved away the protests. From the resulting corner, Simao Sabrosa tried his luck from 22 yards out but the effort went over the bar.
Just two minutes later, Denmark took the lead. A cross from the left found Bendtner in the box, and the Arsenal striker created space between Bruno Alves and Pepe to fire home a powerful shot with his left foot.
It was Denmark's first shot on goal but it was enough to give them the lead at half time. The Seleccao's wastefulness in front of goal was costing them.
The home side began the second period the brighter and could have doubled their lead on 56 minutes but Rommedhal's shot went just wide of the left post of Eduardo's goal.
Portugal wasted one of their best chances 63 minutes into the game, when Andersen could not save Raul Meireles' low cross from the left, Liedson could not score from close range and in the rebound Ronaldo's shot went against a Danish defender.
In the 87th minute, Portugal equalized through Liedson, who did not even have to jump to head home on his debut following a corner from the right.
The Seleccao would still try to find the winning goal on two occasions, without success. Denmark showed a lethal touch here, and demonstrated it's not the number of chances you create, it is what you do with the ball that counts, as they get closer to a place in South Africa.
Ronaldo faces World Cup heartbreak
Cristiano Ronaldo, the world's most expensive footballer, faces a tense World Cup survival battle this weekend as Portugal, semi-finalists in 2006, desperately seek to prevent their 2010 campaign from suffering a humiliating derailment. Cristiano Ronaldo has helped make this the most competitive La Liga season in years
As the Spanish season kicked off last weekend, staff in the Sky Sports studio were predicting basketball scores for Real Madrid’s opening game.
Yet, beyond the hype, La Liga remains competitive. We may think its obvious who the eventual winners will be but – like the Premier League - it’s no stroll in the park for the favourites.
For all the millions spent, the perfect team does not exist. Real Madrid find a visit to Bilbao as uncomfortable as United found their trip to Burnley and, on Saturday, the new Galacticos created plenty, but like Liverpool, they can’t stop conceding at set pieces.
Even the world’s most expensive player can struggle and after being the perfect counter attacker at United: Ronaldo must define a new role for himself in a passing team.
Manuel Pellegrini plays without wingers and Cristiano must adapt to combine his wide runs with build up play in the centre of the pitch.
While he finds his feet, on Saturday Cristiano felt he must justify his price tag and take centre stage, even if it meant seizing the ball from Kaka to step up and score from the spot.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s big signing has failed to impress so far. Ironically, Barcelona criticised some of Real Madrid’s spending, yet saw fit to blow £58 million on Ibrahimovic (£38 million plus Samuel Eto’o).
They have spent a fortune on a striker who has scored around 50 fewer goals in the last five seasons than the one he has replaced.
Guardiola wanted Eto’o away from his club and felt he needed a different option to challenge the opposition this season.
He certainly has that: a striker who plays like a midfielder in place of one who scored 30 league goals last term. Why did Barcelona not sign David Villa? They had in agreement in place to sign the Valencia striker for £38 million.
Yet, the day after agreeing terms, Joan Laporta made a quick phone call to Massimo Moratti and diverted his private jet to Milan. After a long lunch with the Inter supremo, the Barcelona president found he had spent a club record fee on Ibrahimovic.
Barcelona’s season depends upon how well they re-write a winning formula. What do you say about fixing things that aren’t broken?
Cristiano Ronaldo Expected To Top Champions League Goal Scoring Chart
Bet365 make Messi 9/1 to repeat his fantastic achievement of last season, in which he scored nine goals in Europe. One of Messi’s former Barca team-mates also features at the top of the list, with Samuel Eto’o expected to be amongst the goals for Inter. The striker is a 10/1 chance, although it largely depends on how well the Italian champions fare.
There are plenty of Premier League players priced up to be the top scorer in Europe. Didier Drogba is 10/1, with bet365 also offering the same odds on Fernando Torres outscoring all of his rivals. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard catches the eye at a bigger 20/1, while Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney is 18/1 with the world’s leading bookmaker.
Real Madrid Have Yet To See The Best Of Me
The Portuguese star did score from the penalty spot last weekend in his league debut for the club against Deportivo, and showed glimpses of his talent.
But he admits that he is not at his best and must put in the hours on the training ground before Madrid will see the player that everyone is expecting.
"I am very demanding of myself and I am working hard to reach the level that I am used to playing at," he told AS, who gave readers a life-size poster of the player this week.
"What has happened is that the season has started and I am not quite 100 per cent and that is normal. It is a question of time and hard work for me to find my level."
The pressure at Madrid is intense, but Ronaldo explained that he is accustomed to that after six season trying to win something each year with Manchester United.
"I am enjoying it so much. We have a great team and this is an incredible club. We have already played ten games together and we are learning," he continued.
"Playing for Madrid is a dream come true for me.
"The pressure of winning is great. I am used to that and it is nothing new to me."
Portugal Can Qualify For World Cup
With four games remaining Portugal must beat the Danes and hope the leaders drop more points in their remaining fixtures, otherwise the best they can hope for is a play-off place.
Group leaders Denmark are so far undefeated and produced a stunning late show last September, scoring two stoppage-time goals, to beat Portugal 3-2 in Lisbon.
Portugal have four games remaining, starting in Copenhagen on Saturday, followed by a trip to second placed Hungary before hosting Hungary and Malta in October.
"There is great pressure, that is true. It's normal, with everything at stake but I am sure we will achieve victory and my team will be at the World Cup in South Africa," Ronaldo told AS.
"I am convinced Portugal will be at the World Cup. For sure."
Cristiano Ronaldo: 'I am a normal person'
I'll Show I Am Worth €94m To Real Madrid says CR9
Real Madrid's €94 million summer signing Cristiano Ronaldo insists that he will prove he is worth the record transfer fee Los Merengues spent to sign him from Manchester United."I am at a great club. I will prove to myself, my family, those who love me and those people who hired me, that I am worth it. I can say no more. Just work," the 24-year-old said in an interview with El Pais.
When asked about the criticism of the privileged lifestyle of professional footballers, Ronaldo said that life is not always fair.
"I respect what is said but don't always share the opinion. There are people who are happy and those who are not," he said. "Everyone has what he deserves."
He went on to say that he lives a normal life and has adapted himself to the demands of professional football.
"I have lived in the real world," he claimed. "In my head I am a normal person. We have a profession that gives us nice things but also gives us responsibilities. We must win all the time, the pressure is great, but as professionals we adapt."
Ronaldo also insisted that he tries to set a good example as a role model.
"I try to behave well on and off the field, although that is not always easy for different reasons," he said. "I try to look good, especially for the children. It is important to grow up with good examples. That is a big responsibility for me.
Fantasy La Liga? No, not today, says Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo
He scored, he was on the winning side and there were a couple of explosions to illustrate why, in a recession, Real Madrid excavated £80million to buy him.But there were also fluffed freekicks, dead-end dribbles and some sluggishness tracking back. When Cristiano Ronaldo was later asked to convey his thoughts in English, he replied politely: ‘Not today, sorry.’
Ronaldo was en route for dinner with star-struck Usain Bolt, but those three words came close to encapsulating the debut of Ronaldo and Real’s new galacticos on Saturday night. Not today, sorry.
The most expensive player in history, in the most expensive team ever, eventually overcame bluecollar Deportivo La Coruna 3-2, but there was more hard labour
about the victory than the desired fantasy liga football.
‘There’s a lot of room for improvement,’ said Xabi Alonso. ‘We need to gel. As soon as possible.’
Alonso was one of six debutants in the starting XI, so the general response to the £250m investment — that there was enough here for optimism not to suffer — was
understandable.
But euphoria has been placed on hold and ultimately the slight disappointment might be a good thing, asmight Real’s defensive mistakes. It should help new manager Manuel Pellegrini focus minds in the club on the team rather than ‘the project’, on tackling, not marketing.
As Alonso said tellingly of a squad peppered with one-man brands: ‘Team spirit is crucial, this is a collective game. If you don’t have team belief, solidarity, if you are selfish and don’t think about the team, then it’s difficult to be successful.’ Pellegrini must forge a team.
But it is not a straightforward task. Anyone in doubt as to where the power lies at the Bernabeu only had to see the banner hanging above the net where Ronaldo drilled in his first goal in all white, from the penalty-spot. The banner addressed the lavish-spending returning president Florentino Perez. ‘Thank You For Keeping
Your Word. Welcome Home,’ it said.
It is inconceivable an equivalent banner could hang, for example, from the Stretford End. Pellegrini, like his 10 predecessors over the past decade, has been given the tools, but he did not select them.
Yet this is Realpolitik and at kick-off few were thinking about that. The atmosphere inside a sizzling Bernabeu was melting with expectation, Bolt’s appearance made
the noise soar and when Madrid put together a 50-second sequence of passing
from the start it almost climaxed in a goal for Kaka. The magnitude of the occasion could be gauged from Bolt’s reaction: ‘It’s the first time I’ve been nervous in my life.’
But in heat so thick you could nearly see it, the pace dropped. So, too, did Deportivo. Real saw familiar opposition banks of four. Now it was all about football, nothing else.
It took 26 minutes for Real to score. In that time there was warm applause for a 50-yard Alonso pass into touch, a big groan at a Ronaldo mis-control and a moan
from Kaka when he, Ronaldo, Raul and Karim Benzema ended up in the same 10-yard square on the edge of the visitors’ area.
But then Kaka fed Benzema, who hit a post, and Raul, the 32-year-old captain tapped in. New era, old face. Raul then let his defence know their failure to prevent Riki equalising was not good enough. And it wasn’t. Ronaldo restored Real’s lead with a 35th-minute penalty but Juan Valeron equalised straight after the interval.
In the 57th minute there were whistles of discontent inside the Bernabeu but three minutes later Lassana Diarra’s winner arrived. He is subtly derided as being ‘a former
Portsmouth player’ but he was good enough to have played for Chelsea and Arsenal as well his current employers.
And rather than Ronaldo and Kaka, Diarra and Alonso could turn out to be the key pairing at Real. One thing is certain, they will be busy. Asked about the failure of
the front four to help defensively, Alonso smiled and said: ‘That’s the way it is here.’
As he spoke, Ronaldo walked past. Real’s new No 9 had been last on the pitch and first off it. He had been by the touchline, close to the tunnel when the final whistle blew.
Head down, there were no handshakes for opponents or his new colleagues. Not today, sorry.
Madrid 2016 bid looks good to us, say Bolt and Ronaldo
MADRID, Aug 31: Superstar quality from across the world of high-profile sport spoke up for Madrid’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games when Usain Bolt and Cristiano Ronaldo came face to face. The occasion was the opening league game of the season for Ronaldo’s Real Madrid against Deportivo de La Coruna at which world record-holding Olympic sprint hero Bolt was a VIP guest.
The Games bid has unified the capital’s major football clubs since, while Real has declared full support, the proposed Olympic stadium is the new home of their cross-city rivals Atletico.
Ronaldo, who scored a goal from a penalty against Depor, said afterwards: “I will pray for Madrid to host the Olympics in 2016 because I’d love to watch live all athletics events here."
Bolt, who won three golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and then another treble – including a 100m world record – at the Berlin world atletics championships, was equally enthusiastic.
He said: “After the welcome I have had, I would really love to run here. This weather is incredible. I wish the 2016 Olympics are held here. Surely they’ll do a great job. The city has thrown itself into the bid and it has so many facilities.”
Ronaldo starts a win with Real
The £80m Portuguese - one of eight summer 'galactico' recruits - netted the second goal, but Real had to rely on Lassana Diarra for the winner. Raul put Real ahead while Riki equalised for Deportivo, before Ronaldo drilled home a 35th-minute penalty after Raul was fouled by Aranzubia.
Juan Carlos Valeron levelled, only for Diarra to fire home on the hour.
"We created a lot of chances, but the most important thing was to achieve the victory," said £65m signing Kaka. "It wasn't an easy game."
Usain Bolt, fresh from his record-breaking exploits in the 100m and 200m at the athletics World Championships, was presented to the Bernabeu crowd prior to kick-off and launched president Florentino Perez's latest 'galactico' era with the ceremonial first kick.
Perez spent about 250m euros bringing in the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso to the Spanish capital, and they were all included in new coach Manuel Pellegrini's starting lineup.
Perez is keen to dislodge archrival Barcelona from the pinnacle of European football after the Catalan club became the first Spanish team to win the treble - the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey - in a season.
Although Real looked disjointed in the early stages, they took a 26th-minute lead when veteran Raul finished easily after Karim Benzema's shot was deflected onto the near post by Daniel Aranzubia.
Ronaldo should have made it 2-0 three minutes later but his header from fellow debutant Xabi Alonso's free-kick went over the bar.
Deportivo equalised from an almost identical situation, when Juca launched a free-kick into the box and Riki, the former Madrid youth-team player, got in between two defenders to direct a header past Iker Casillas from seven yards.
The equaliser fired Real into action and the spotlight was on Ronaldo when Raul had been sent sprawling by Aranzubia.
The Fifa World Player of the Year, Real Madrid's record signing, showed no signs of nerves as he drove his spot-kick just inside the post.
Real missed a few chances and were punished for their profligacy when, a minute after the break, Deportivo equalised again.
Andres Guardado's cross to the edge of the box found Valeron unmarked and the veteran had sufficient time to control the ball and fire past Casillas.
Ironically, given the publicity surrounding the high-profile signings this summer, Pellegrini had former Portsmouth player Diarra to thank for getting Real off to a winning start.
The midfielder took aim with a low 25-yard shot which crept inside the far post and handed Pellegrini's men the points as they seek to challenge Barcelona.
Ronaldo enjoying first goal goal in La Liga
Ronaldo, 24, became the most expensive player in history following a 94 million euro summer move from Manchester United and started to repay that fee with a well-taken 35th minute penalty. The Portuguese international has taken over free-kick and penalty duties at Real and revealed that he had also been given licence to roam all over the pitch.
‘My position is set and then I play a free role in the centre, on the right and on the left,’ said Ronaldo.
Former coach Sir Alex Ferguson often allowed Ronaldo to roam at Manchester United and two seasons ago he responded with a staggering 31 league goals.
Despite a good personal performance on his debut Ronaldo admitted it had been tough going against Depor and called for an improvement.
‘It was important for us to start with a win as the first game is always complicated,’ Ronaldo explained.
‘We had some good and bad moments in the game and have to improve.’
Aside from Ronaldo there were seven other debutants in Kaka, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Raul Albiol, Ezequiel Garay, Alvaro Arbeloa and Esteban Granero.
Brazilian Kaka was lively before being taken off in the closing stages while Benzema, a 35 million euro signing from Lyon, could have had a debut goal had it not been for the woodwork.
‘It was great to start with a win against a tough Depor team,’ said Benzema. ‘I had my chances but they went against the woodwork.’
Benzema, who has taken over Arjen Robben’s number 11 shirt, appears to have won a starting place ahead of Gonzalo Higuain, last season’s top-scorer with 22 goals, and is revelling in his partnership with captain Raul.
