Portugal Needs A Cool Ronaldo to Advance
POOR PORTUGUESE SPORTSMANSHIP WILL MEAN A QUICK EXIT FROM WC06
Everyone's golden boy for this World Cup is Portugal's Christiano Ronaldo. Reaching that pinnacle will ultimately rest on his team advancing far into the tournament.
That's why his lashing out against a Cape Verde player during last Friday's friendly could be a foreshadowing of difficult times ahead.
Ronaldo, who was reportedly named after President Ronald Reagan, has the matinee idol looks, brawn and ability to defy gravity with his graceful runs down the pitch. He also, like many of his countrymen, seem to have a propensity to meltdown at the slightest provacation.
Big Phil, also known as Felipe Scolari, Portugal's manager, seems aware of his young gun's volatility. Shortly after Ronaldo's yellow card he brought in a substitute.
Portugal's penchent for underachieving and subsequently lashing out caused international outrage just four years ago when long-time striker, Joao Pinto, struck referee Angel Sanchez during their last game in stage play against South Korea. Undoubtedly, Pinto's assault was a manifestation of a very disappointing World Cup where the Portuguese were tabbed as sleeper contenders for the title.
Going back to Euro 2000 in France, a facsimile of the melee in Korea nearly occured when the French were rewarded a penalty kick in the dying seconds of their semifinal. Controversially, the platinum-dyed defender, Xavier, was called for a hand ball near the side of the Portuguese goal. Xavier, Nuno Gomes and others mobbed the ref in a ferocious manner screaming and shoving him and in a precursor to the poor sportmanship two years later.
Could this happen again?
It will be imperative that this talented, but underachieving team keep their cool, especially against their third opponent, Mexico. This game may ultimately tell us who wins the group or who possibly gets eliminated. If players like Ronaldo crack against the lowly Cape Verde Island, then what will happen when Mexico's Chuatemoc Blanco is bullying them at every opportunity or diving for penalties during the last precious minutes of regular time?
The first 20 minutes of their opener against the lowly-rated Angolans should go a long way in revealing whether the bratty Portuguese will be causing a riot on German soil or celebrating a new international star.
Everyone's golden boy for this World Cup is Portugal's Christiano Ronaldo. Reaching that pinnacle will ultimately rest on his team advancing far into the tournament.
That's why his lashing out against a Cape Verde player during last Friday's friendly could be a foreshadowing of difficult times ahead.
Ronaldo, who was reportedly named after President Ronald Reagan, has the matinee idol looks, brawn and ability to defy gravity with his graceful runs down the pitch. He also, like many of his countrymen, seem to have a propensity to meltdown at the slightest provacation.
Big Phil, also known as Felipe Scolari, Portugal's manager, seems aware of his young gun's volatility. Shortly after Ronaldo's yellow card he brought in a substitute.
Portugal's penchent for underachieving and subsequently lashing out caused international outrage just four years ago when long-time striker, Joao Pinto, struck referee Angel Sanchez during their last game in stage play against South Korea. Undoubtedly, Pinto's assault was a manifestation of a very disappointing World Cup where the Portuguese were tabbed as sleeper contenders for the title.
Going back to Euro 2000 in France, a facsimile of the melee in Korea nearly occured when the French were rewarded a penalty kick in the dying seconds of their semifinal. Controversially, the platinum-dyed defender, Xavier, was called for a hand ball near the side of the Portuguese goal. Xavier, Nuno Gomes and others mobbed the ref in a ferocious manner screaming and shoving him and in a precursor to the poor sportmanship two years later.
Could this happen again?
It will be imperative that this talented, but underachieving team keep their cool, especially against their third opponent, Mexico. This game may ultimately tell us who wins the group or who possibly gets eliminated. If players like Ronaldo crack against the lowly Cape Verde Island, then what will happen when Mexico's Chuatemoc Blanco is bullying them at every opportunity or diving for penalties during the last precious minutes of regular time?
The first 20 minutes of their opener against the lowly-rated Angolans should go a long way in revealing whether the bratty Portuguese will be causing a riot on German soil or celebrating a new international star.
