Thanks to winning both matches of the play-offs Portugal climbed up FIFA’s ranking to a surprising 5th place. This might stir up talks on whether we should go into the 1st pot of the WC2010 draw next December. I don’t think it will happen, but…
A day before UEFA released their ranking featuring Spain on top [...]

South-Africa here we come! Fully deserved it too. Victory is ours!

November, 18, 2009
Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
19:45 Lisbon, London; 14:45 New York; 20:45 Zenica
24 hours to go for the all deciding match at Zenica.
Bosnia Herzegovina needs to come back from the marginal defeat picked up last Saturday in Lisbon and win by a margin of 2 goals. Portugal needs to pick up their [...]

The arrival of the Selecção at Sarajevo yesterday was met with threats, insult and spitting.
The stage has been set for anything but an enjoyable soccer match. I genuinely fear for what might happen to our players and supporters should we (as everyone expects) qualify for the world cup. Human life is certainly so much more [...]

We did it. First solid step towards South-Africa has just been taken.
60000 spectators in the stands providing a fantastic atmosphere. Among them aprox. 4000 Bosnians helped color the Estadio da Luz. The stage was set for a mighty clash.
I was nervous as hell. I knew little of any Bosnian player before the play-off draw [...]

November, 14, 2009
Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
20:30 Lisbon, London; 15:30 New York; 21:30 Zenica

After two very timely appearances for the NT against Hungary and Malta, Pedro Mendes suffered a knee injury during Glasgow Ranger’s last Champions League match. He will be out for the next 2 months, missing the play-offs against Bosnia-Herzegovina. A huge blow as Pedro seemed the ideal candidate for the defensive midfield position found in [...]

Bosnia Herzegovina is Portugal’s adversary for the WC2010 Play-offs. This is going to be a tough one but I have the utmost confidence in our team!
The first match will take place on the 14th of November at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. 4 Days later we face them on their turf. I would have [...]

FIFA has released an updated ranking and what do you know… Portugal closes the top 10.
In fact we were the country that scored the most points in this update: 162. Moving up 7 places we finished in the top 10.
This particular ranking has a bit more meaning because it determines the top 4 seed for [...]

Four nil. Another one bites the dust.
Next stop: play-offs.
Led by an amazing crowd eager to sing and dance the team through this match, Portugal delivered. Delivered in goals. Delivered in spirit. From the get go we tightened a net around Malta and didn’t ease up until the first 2 were in. I had hoped for [...]