Getting better – Portugal 2 x 0 Iran

I think Portugal will play a lot better once they face more well known footballing nations that play with space. Holland for instance.

Hi everybody, I’m Persian and I’m here to say an apologize because of Andrew Anik Teymourian’s lie in the first half, you know he shows his eye to the referee and pretending an injury but in slow motion we couldn’t see any problem with his eyes, anyway; accept my apologize as an Iranian, we’re not as liar as our Andrew ! I wish more great success for your team.

Posted from  Islamic Republic Of Iran

Hi everybody, I’m Persian and I’m here to say an apologize because of Andrew Anik Teymourian’s lie in the first half, you know he shows his eye to the referee and pretending an injury but in slow motion we couldn’t see any problem with his eyes, anyway; accept my apologize as an Iranian, we’re not as liar as our Andrew ! I wish more great successes for your team.

Posted from  Islamic Republic Of Iran

racoon i agree completely…

Posted from  United States

Yes indeed. We will watch the Holland v Argentina game very closely. Holland plays a very similar style to Portugal. We’ll see what that 6 – 0 result is worth.

Posted from  United States

Wow we get no respect… during the halftime report for the Ghana game, they said Luis Figo was a master of diving. Funny how they didn’t mention anything about him being an excellent playmaker or getting a boot to his face.

Posted from  United States

sassan apology accepted. all the best to iran in the future. racoon i agree aswell.

Posted from  United States

Congratulations portugal. Now if you can just get a few more brazilians to join your team in the next few days, you might actually get past holland/argentina.

Posted from  Canada

Simon – cheap shot. Why don’t you go harass Tunisia or Mexico for their naturalized Brazilians. Oh yeah, some great native footballers you have in Canada. You need to import an entire team. So sad how malicious some people are.

Figo a diver? That’s so stupid! There is no great warrior in football today. Teams can’t keep up with our skill and pace so they resort to hacking and slashing. Look at what they did to Ronaldo,yet again. That was a clear penalty. If you tackle in the box and you get all shins, it’s a PK. Grow up and at least acknowledge a good performance when you see it. I go out of my way to give ‘props’ when other teams play well and these kinds of comments piss me off!

Força Portugal!

Posted from  United States

Nicely said Luis. Canada’s national team would struggle to make the MLS playoffs if they were a club team.

Posted from  United States

I’m not from Canada and I don’t live there. I’m in Germany but the blog says I’m in Canada. I’ve been there though. It’s cold.

The reason I’m not taunting Tunisia or Mexico is because they didn’t play today. I think it’s a shame when any country does what Portugal et. al. did. Why have a world cup with all these people waving their national flags when a star player (today’s man of the match) is not even from that country. You can be naturalized, that’s fine. But to become naturalized to play for a national soccer team is lame-o. Even your national hero Figo spoke out against Deco joining Portugal. Why don’t you call Figo malicious? Oh, because he scores and sets up goals for your country.

Anyway, I like portugal (except Ronaldo’s personality)and I hope you go far in this tournament. Ole!

Posted from  Canada

And speaking of “cheap shots”, good job mocking all of Canada’s national team! Heh.

Posted from  Canada

Much better game than the angola game!
Began the game cringing at the thought of costinha starting, but im glad to say he proved me wrong! I agree that the defense is slightly worrying. Meira doesnt seem to feel very comfortable. If Miguel wasn’t in such fantastic form, we could of conceded. I think he’s definatly cemented his place in the starting lineup! Pauleta was also surprising quiet this game. At times i wasnt even sure he was on the pitch! I agree hes a superb striker but if hes not having a great game scolari has to bring on nuno gomes, hes more than capable of stepping up!

Over all impressed and would like to see more of it against mexico. Perhaps more shots from far(keep trying maniche!)

Forca Portugal!!!
P.S. Figo…….thanks for coming back!!!

Posted from  United Kingdom

Seems stupid to have to say this, but Deco is no token Portuguese. He owes much of his progress in footbal to Portugal. He perfected his game in the Portuguese league and with mentoring from Portuguese managers. He has family and lives in Portugal when he’s not playing for Barca. Lets remember that Deco wouldn’t be where he is without Portugal. Portugal has given him a lot and it only seems natural that he return the favor. Did you see how he clutched his shirt and ran past his colleagues to celebrate with the Portuguese fans? That says it all.

By the way, I’m pretty sure Figo has changed his mind about Deco. If for no other reason, then because Deco has played more time in the Superliga then he has.

I just feel that in today’s world where people and cultures spill over borders, it seems stupid to make such comments. As far as I’m concerned, Deco is 100% Portuguese. He certainly gives his all Portugal and that’s good enough for me.

Posted from  United States

luis, here here! forca portugal! but we hav 2 sort out the defence and b just abit more threating up front but then again they did have 10men behind the ball, oh well. 2-0 gud gud.

Posted from  United States

Simon, could you qualify your opinion by stating your heritage? If you are not Portuguese then I don’t think your opinion really matters within the context of this forum.

Are you aware that the German team also has naturalized players whether by birth or by immigration, as does the USA, Italy, Japan, Mexico, England, Spain and France off the top of my head. I am Canadian born with 100% Portuguese blood living in the US. If I was as good as Deco i’d rather play on any team that would take me than sit in front of a computer like you and criticize professionals that have made an impact to the national team. What does it matter and why does it upset you so much. Are you a closet Portuguese fan trying to assert nationalistic views? Thank God we are not doing DNA tests to certify people’s worthiness or qualification to play for a national team. Much was said when Deco and Scolari entered our national team. This is water under the bridge. We are all brothers, and you can see the passion and belief in their eyes during every minute of the match.

So by your opinion, Sven, Scolari Advocatt, Ivankovic, La Volpe and other non nationalized coaches should also pack their bags and leave. Then what? If we had it your way I don’t think it would be so interesting.

Posted from  United States

figo is both a playmaker and a diver most european players dive

Posted from  United States

DORCA PORTUGAL!!

Posted from  United States

Wow, does anyone mind if I point out that Cristiano Ronaldo is a total hunk,,,geez…sorry for the digression…:)

it was a much improve portuguese performance i must say but i am still very dissapointed with the fact he din play nuno gomes upfront with pauleta.in addition, i would very much like to see wat players like boa morte can do off da sub bench instead of simao.i would to conclude saying that pauleta really had a poor game and either gomes or postiga should replace him da next match for a try out since portugal is already through to the next round.

Posted from  Singapore

First of all, Pauleta can’t be blamed for having a bad game. He, like many other strikers, depends on service to put it in the back of the net. Didn’t you see him way out in the midfield flank playing winger just to go get the damn ball? He’s hungry and he wants that golden boot.

If anything blame Deco, Figo and Ronaldo, but oh yeah, you can’t blame them either cuz they were taking a beating and too busy setting up those 2 goals.

I would love to see our depth in action, and if we’re lucky, we might see them against Mexico, but no offense to Gomes, Boa Morte or Postiga, (I love them all) but Scolari is no fool. Game 2 was no time to experiment. We wanted qualification, nothing else.

Posted from  United States

Luis,

Right, I am sure if Deco could have playzed for Brazil a couple of years ago, he still would have chosen Portugal.

Seems stupid to have to say this, but every Brazilian owes much of their development to European football, but that does not make them European. Beasly owes much of his development to Dutch football, it does not make him Dutch!

I am sure Figo has changed his mind about Deco. I would change my mind about Deco if he was on my team and helped me win. It does not change the fact that the WC is about national teams.

If cultures do cross so much, then what is the point of the WC. Lets just have professional WC and each country can do what Qatar always tries to do.

I dont fault your opinion. I would feel the same way if my country was going through to the second round regardless of who scored the goal.

Posted from  Germany

Walter,

We are all sitting in front of a computer praising and critisizing teams and people, that’s what this forum is about, so I’m not sure what your initial point is about.

Also, I didn’t realize that you were the internet-master and could decide whether my opinions matter on this forum. Oddly enough, it looks like I can post wherever I want in these forums. But to make you feel better, this will be my last post. Also, since my response doesn’t matter, feel free to not reply.

I am not opposed at all to naturalized players serving on a national team if there is a reasonable connection to the country. In Deco’s case, however, he decided to play for Portugal because he wasn’t getting call ups from Brazil. Of course he’s gonna want to play for Portugal because he wants to play in the world cup, etc., but that doesn’t mean that he should — it’s the WC, ie, national teams. Just because he lived in Portugal while he played there and had family there doesn’t mean that he should be able to play for its national team. If that were the case, Beckham should be able to play for Spain, Sheva for Italy, etc.

As far as coaches, it is clearly allowed by FIFA to have foreign coaches coach a national team, whereas what Deco did I believe was against the spirit of FIFA’s rule. It also makes sense to have foreign coaches in order to bring new ideaas and strategies to developing footballing countries (e.g., Ivancovic to Iran, Hiddink to Korea, etc.).

As far as the “interesting” point, it would be potentially more interesting football if we had no limitations on nationality and you just had professional national leagues similar to club competition. What makes the WC interesting is not the skill of the players per se, but that it is national teams with national pride on the line and all of that.

Also, please believe me when I say that I am not upset in anyway. I made an off handed comment because I was at the game and saw how excited portugese people got — waving flags and national pride beaming in their eyes and cheering Deco’s name — when Deco is not even Portugese and likely did not have the same national pride as the fans. I am a Swede that has been living in Germany since I was a kid, but I still feel greater national pride for Sweden than Germany, and I tend to think that Deco is the same way. In fact, based on my experiences (living in the US for a couple of years), most people in this situation feel the way I do. I’m guessing you feel the same way too. But if I’m wrong, and Deco is truly a Portugese at heart, then I apologize. I doubt it though.

Finally, I am not a closet portugese fan. As I mentioned in my first email, I like Portugal.

Posted from  Canada

Ok..no offense but this national vs naturalized argument has nothing to do with the original post on this thread. It’s a stupid topic. Water under the bridge as was stated above. Deco is an important part of this team and nothing can change that.

Posted from  United States

Hello all,

I am portuguese living in Holland, It is with no surprise I read the opinion of a dutch talking about cristiano ronaldo.

I can understand dutch so I can see and listen dutch comments on TV.

THEY ARE PATETIC as patetic is Marcel and his comments

In holland on television when they were playing against Ivory Coast in the end of the game the TV staff Watching the dutch players kiking legs they say

that’s the spirit

Cristiano Ronaldo was kiked 2/3 times in 7 minutes by the dutch
Portugal/holland

if you don’t belive me watch the game.

I sugest Marcel first watch the game, forget about the patetic dutch comments, and them express his opinion.

And if you still have the same opinion, witch is posible,then you will be one more patetic Holandes.

Antonio

any doubts

Posted from  Netherlands