PortugLOL

Xavi6

Haven't seen this mentioned anywhere but seriously, wtf?

Pretty much full strength teaming drawing 0-0 at home to 117th ranked Cape Verde.

Portugal:
Eduardo, Paulo Ferreira (Miguel, 68), Ricardo Carvalho (Ricardo Costa, 46), Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao, Pedro Mendes (Tiago, 58), Miguel Veloso (Raul Meireles, 46), Deco (Danny, 58), Nani, Liedson (Hugo Almeida, 46), Cristiano Ronaldo
Yellow Cards: Pedro Mendes, Nani, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cape Verde:
Fock, Stopira, Varela, Ricardo, Nando, Marco Soares, Babanco (Heldon, 58), Valter Borges (Vitor Moreno, 68), Dario, Lito, Dady (Semedo, 24 (Jose Luís, 93)
Yellow Cards: Nando

I know it's only a friendly but the signs don't look great for a country that struggled through qualifying and has a tendency to bottle the big stage.

Degag

Not judging them in terms of this result, but i really think they could be going home after the group stages.

Frisbee

Degag wrote: »

Not judging them in terms of this result, but i really think they could be going home after the group stages.

They should be, I definitely see Brazil and Ivory Coast coming out of that group.

Glico Man

I think they could struggle to get out of the group. Brazil are pretty much guaranteed to get through and Ivory Coast are very strong.

After this draw I'd say North Korea fancy themselves against Portugal

inforfun

Degag wrote: »

Not judging them in terms of this result, but i really think they could be going home after the group stages.

With Brasil and Ivory Coast in their group it was always a difficult one.

Headshot

they desperately need a good striker, hell they had to get a Brazilian to be their striker and isnt good enough at all

redout

Frisbee wrote: »

They should be, I definitely see Brazil and Ivory Coast coming out of that group.

After watching the cup of nations I expect the Ivory Coast to be packing their bags after the group. In fact all this hype about African teams is OTT. I would be amazed if any made it to the quarter-finals.

Liam O

Can't see Ivory coast getting through at their expense tbh. Can see the likes of Ronaldo and Nani stepping up big time in the WC.

Frisbee

redout wrote: »

After watching the cup of nations I expect the Ivory Coast to be packing their bags after the group. In fact all this hype about African teams is OTT. I would be amazed if any made it to the quarter-finals.

I don't think Ivory Coast will make it to the QF, but I can see them getting out of the group.

I can see IC and Portugal both losing to Brazil and then drawing with each other and it being a case then of who can bang more past N. Korea.

steelcityblues

Anyone else think Portugal are becoming the new Holland, where they underachieve at the big tournaments?

How they didn't win in 2004, and with home momentum. I still don't know.

PHB

Portugal are a team that is missing a striker. Simple as. Leidson plays for Sporting CP, and isn't even Portugese btw. If they had a decent striker who could hold up the ball, Nani and Ronaldo could have an awful lot of fun in a 4-3-3. However, they don't. Ronaldo to play up front once it gets tight I'd expect, sacrificing himself for the team.

Melion

Why all the mention of Liedson not being portugese? Either is Deco

whatawaster

PHB wrote: »

Ronaldo to play up front once it gets tight I'd expect, sacrificing himself for the team.

Lol.

Like he doesn't love playing there

steelcityblues

He thinks he IS the team!

Gillington

Melion wrote: »

Why all the mention of Liedson not being portugese? Either is Deco

Nor Nani,he's actually from Cape Verde

eagle eye

Thats a huge result for Cape Verde, I know quite a few people from there from my time in the US. They will be celebrating this for a while.

Le King

Gillington wrote: »

Nor Nani,he's actually from Cape Verde

So that's Pepe, Nani, Fernandes, Liedson, Rolando, Deco, Danny and Makukula that weren't born in Portugal in the Portuguese 30 man squad for the WC. Bosingwa, who played in the qualifiers was also born in Zaire.

Ush1

PHB wrote: »

Ronaldo to play up front once it gets tight I'd expect, sacrificing himself for the team.

They really haven't had a good striker since Pauleta. Most of their players play badly for the NT and Deco is really past it at this stage.

noodler

I'd say the North Koreans have a very good chance of sinking Portugal.

patmac

Osu wrote: »

So that's Pepe, Nani, Fernandes, Liedson, Rolando, Deco, Danny and Makukula that weren't born in Portugal in the Portuguese 30 man squad for the WC. Bosingwa, who played in the qualifiers was also born in Zaire.

Sush I remember a team that played in green that had a lot of naturalised players in their lineout, I think we should drop this discussion quickly.

~Rebel~

noodler wrote: »

I'd say the North Koreans have a very good chance of sinking Portugal.

Is the portuguese squad traveling to Africa by boat?

noodler

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Is the portuguese squad traveling to Africa by boat?

At least someone got it..

steelcityblues

Imagine if North and South Korea played each other in the knockout stages, though highly unlikely!

inforfun

steelcityblues wrote: »

Anyone else think Portugal are becoming the new Holland, where they underachieve at the big tournaments?

How they didn't win in 2004, and with home momentum. I still don't know.

Erm... 1988 EC
2x losing finalist in WC (74 & 78, both times against the hosts)
Semi finals in WC 98 and EC 2000 &1976
And then a bunch of QF.

As far as i know, they only went out once in the group stage, EC 1980

I think you confuse Holland with Spain and England. They are the most reknowned underachievers.

steelcityblues

inforfun wrote: »

Erm... 1988 EC
2x losing finalist in WC (74 & 78, both times against the hosts)
Semi finals in WC 98 and EC 2000 &1976
And then a bunch of QF.

As far as i know, they only went out once in the group stage, EC 1980

I think you confuse Holland with Spain and England. They are the most reknowned underachievers.

With the squad of players Portugal had in the late90s/early 00s, they were expected to win at least one big tournament. I don't think anyone honestly thought they would go out in the group stages in WC 2002 either. Massive disappointment!

Raekwon

Osu wrote: »

So that's Pepe, Nani, Fernandes, Liedson, Rolando, Deco, Danny and Makukula that weren't born in Portugal in the Portuguese 30 man squad for the WC. Bosingwa, who played in the qualifiers was also born in Zaire.

Portugal have lots of colonies though as do the likes of France, who have more foreign born players then most teams, and as patmac pointed out Ireland have benefited hugely from the granny rule over the years.

Back on topic though, I still think Portugal will get through the group stages, infact I can see them pushing Brazil for the number one spot. That said I don't think they will go far in the tournament and that is mainly due to lack of real firepower.

It's also crazy to think that this will only be Portugal's 5th appearance at the World Cup finals considering all the great players that they had over the years (Eusébio, José Torres, Paulo Futre, Luis Figo, etc)

inforfun

steelcityblues wrote: »

Imagine if North and South Korea played each other in the knockout stages, though highly unlikely!

They did play eachother for the World cup qualifiers "recently"

cson

What a class name the Cape Verde GK has. Where can I get me that shirt with his name on the back?

token56

hmmm, wonder what the odds are for portugal to finish last in their group.

speedboatchase

Melion wrote: »

Why all the mention of Liedson not being portugese? Either is Deco

He's only worth mentioning because he's a relatively new call-up (7 appearences) and was only naturalised last year - it's like they needed a quick solution as soon as Pauleta retired.

Anyways I feel terrible for Ivory Coast - another group of death and even if they knock Portugal out they'll most likely play Spain in the next round :P

Melion

Whatever happened Nuno Gomes?

RandolphEsq

Melion wrote: »

Whatever happened Nuno Gomes?

His career has slowly been winding down, wasn't selected in their WC squad.
I'm concerned at that Portugal performance. They better up their game big time for the WC. Does anyone know what Bosingwa's injury status is right now?

TonyD79

Rudd Gullit's take on potential WC winners on sky sports:

"I like Spain, they're a good team. Brazil is a favourite also, but I think a dark horse could be Portugal because they have a striker for the first time - a Brazilian striker [Li�dson], but still a striker!

:rolleyes:

Spiritoftheseventies

Wonder what the odds were for 0-0

JerryHandbag

I dunno I think Portugal will be lying in the long grass so to speak. Nobody gives them a chance, people here saying Ivory Coast will knock them out at the group stage, pretty unremarkable qualifying campaign, but lets not forget France "winged" their way to the final 4 years ago, I really wouldnt discount Nani Ronaldo and co. from doing similar. Plus they've got the best jersey of the 32

GLaDOS

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Wonder what the odds were for 0-0

Gav told me 59/1

For some reason I thought this thread would involve the Portugese squad with captions.

Le King

Raekwon wrote: »

Portugal have lots of colonies though as do the likes of France, who have more foreign born players then most teams, and as patmac pointed out Ireland have benefited hugely from the granny rule over the years.

I'm well up to tabs with my history, thanks very much.


I was merely pointing out players who weren't born in Portugal.