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Cristiano Ronaldo In Portugal Squad For South Africa Clash
Portugal and former Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Queiroz has included Cristiano Ronaldo in a 20-man squad that will play against South Africa in a friendly international in Lausanne on March 31.
Mar 20, 2009 10:50:43 AM
With the Portuguese team surprisingly struggling in their
2010 World Cup qualifying group and currently placed fourth behind leaders
Denmark and Hungary, Carlos Queiroz is focusing his attention on next Saturday's home
World Cup qualifier against Sweden, for which both Cristiano Ronaldo and Chelsea star
Deco have been selected.
A source close to the Portuguese technical staff, however, said he would not bet on either Ronaldo or Deco playing against South Africa, although they are obviously in the squad with the Sweden clash in mind.
It has been suggested that Queiroz, who enjoyed two highly successful spells as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, had agreed to a request from his former colleague to rest Ronaldo from the clash against South Africa, with a number of important club commitments ahead.
The Portuguese squad is made up of world-class players such as Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Tiago (Juventus), Nani (Manchester United) and Danny (Zenit St Petersburg), and will no doubt provide Bafana with a tough challenge to prove themselves ahead of the eight-nation FIFA Confederations Cup in June.
The Portugal squad:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Fernandes (Bochum), Eduardo (Braga), Beto (Leixoes).
Defenders: Jose Bosingwa (Chelsea), Bruno Alves (FC Porto), Goncalo Brandao (Siena), Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Nelson Marcos (Betis), Rolando (FC Porto).
Midfielders: Deco (Chelsea), Joao Moutinho (Sporting Lisbon), Maniche (Atletico Madrid), Raul Meireles (FC Porto), Duda (Malaga), Tiago (Juventus).
Forwards: Danny (Zenit St Petersburg), Nani (Manchester United), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United).
Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com
A source close to the Portuguese technical staff, however, said he would not bet on either Ronaldo or Deco playing against South Africa, although they are obviously in the squad with the Sweden clash in mind.
It has been suggested that Queiroz, who enjoyed two highly successful spells as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, had agreed to a request from his former colleague to rest Ronaldo from the clash against South Africa, with a number of important club commitments ahead.
The Portuguese squad is made up of world-class players such as Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Tiago (Juventus), Nani (Manchester United) and Danny (Zenit St Petersburg), and will no doubt provide Bafana with a tough challenge to prove themselves ahead of the eight-nation FIFA Confederations Cup in June.
The Portugal squad:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Fernandes (Bochum), Eduardo (Braga), Beto (Leixoes).
Defenders: Jose Bosingwa (Chelsea), Bruno Alves (FC Porto), Goncalo Brandao (Siena), Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Nelson Marcos (Betis), Rolando (FC Porto).
Midfielders: Deco (Chelsea), Joao Moutinho (Sporting Lisbon), Maniche (Atletico Madrid), Raul Meireles (FC Porto), Duda (Malaga), Tiago (Juventus).
Forwards: Danny (Zenit St Petersburg), Nani (Manchester United), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United).
Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com
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