• International
  • America (EN)‎
  • United Kingdom (EN)‎
  • India (EN)‎
  • Ireland (EN)‎
  • Malaysia (EN)‎
  • Singapore (EN)‎
  • Canada (EN)‎
  • Australia (EN)‎
  • Nigeria (EN)‎
  • Ghana (EN)‎
  • Kenya (EN)‎
  • South Africa (EN)‎
  • España (ES)‎
  • Argentina (ES)‎
  • Colombia (ES)‎
  • Chile (ES)‎
  • México (ES)‎
  • Peru (ES)‎
  • Italiano
  • Deutsch
  • Français
  • Brasil (PT)‎
  • Nederlands
  • Türkçe
  • Indonesia
  • 中文
  • 繁體中文
  • 한국어
  • 日本語
  • ภาษาไทย
  • Tiếng Việt
  • فارسی
  • العربية
  • المصرية
  • السعودية
Edition: International
  • Betting
  • Mobile
  • Phone App

Follow us on

Goal.com

Hi | My Account | Sign Out
Register or Sign In:
  • News
    • Football News
    • Football Previews
    • Football Transfer News
    • England Football News
    • Italy Football News
    • Spain Football News
    • Germany Football News
    • Champions League News
    • Europa League News
    • South America News
  • Editorials
    • All Editorials
    • Football Previews
    • Player Ratings
    • World Player Of The Week
    • Top 10s
    • Exclusive
    • English Editorials
    • Italian Editorials
    • Spanish Editorials
    • Teams Of The Week
    • Slideshows
    • The Dossier
    • Omar Momani: Cartoon of the Day
    • Goal.com @ Twitter
  • Live
    • Live Match Centre
    • Live Scores
    • Live Blog
  • Transfer Zone
    • Transfer Talk
    • Transfers LIVE!
    • Transfer News
    • Transfer Tables
    • The 10 Best January Signings
  • Clubs
    • Arsenal News
    • Chelsea News
    • Liverpool News
    • Manchester United News
    • Manchester City News
    • Tottenham News
    • AC Milan News
    • Inter News
    • Juventus News
    • Roma News
    • Lazio News
    • FC Barcelona News
    • Real Madrid News
    • Valencia News
    • Bayern Munich News
    • Borussia Dortmund News
    • PSG News
  • Europe
    • Europe Home
    • Europe News
    • England Home
    • England Table/Results
    • Italy Home
    • Italy Table/Results
    • Spain Home
    • Spain Table/Results
    • Germany Home
    • Germany Table/Results
    • Champions League Home
    • CL Fixtures/Results
    • Europa League Home
    • EL Fixtures/Results
    • Rest of Europe Home
    • Rest of Europe News
    • World Cup 2014 News
    • World Cup 2014 Fixtures/Results
  • Asia
    • Asia Home
    • Asia News
    • Asian Champions League Home
    • Asians in Europe
    • Australia Football News
    • China & Hong Kong Football News
    • Japan Football News
    • Korea Football News
    • India, South, Central Asia Football News
    • South East Asia Football News
    • West Asia Football News
  • Goal Rich List 2013
    • Video Countdown
  • Americas
    • South America Home
    • South America News
    • Brazil Home
    • Brazil Table/Results
    • Argentina Home
    • Argentina Table/Results
    • Libertadores Home
    • Libertadores Table/Results
    • Copa America Home
    • Copa America Table/Fixtures
    • USA Home
    • USA (MLS) Table/Results
    • Gold Cup Home
    • Gold Cup Tables/Results
  • Champions League
    • Champions League 2012-13 Home
    • Champions League 2012-13 News
    • Champions League Fixtures/Results
  • Europa League
    • Europa League 2012-13 Home
    • Europa League 2012-13 News
    • Europa League Fixtures/Results
  • World Cup
    • News
    • Qualifying Fixtures/Results
  • Video
    • La Liga News
    • Serie A News
    • Bundesliga News
    • Champions League News
    • Pick of South America
    • Best of Europe
    • Europa League News
    • Ligue 1 News
    • MLS News
    • SPL Goals
    • Goal Show
    • Youtube Channel
  • Euro 2012 »
Sneijder: Portugal are not just Cristiano Ronaldo

Sneijder: Portugal are not just Cristiano Ronaldo

Jun 17, 2012 7:50:00 AM

The Dutch playmaker urged his team-mates not to focus on just the Real Madrid forward as he hopes his side can get the result needed to book a ticket to the quarter-finals

EXCLUSIVE
By Francisco Delgado

Wesley Sneijder has warned that Portugal are not a one-man team, but hopes his side can prolong Cristiano Ronaldo's goal drought in Poland and Ukraine as Netherlands play for their Euro 2012 lives on Sunday night.

Bert van Marwijk's men have lost their opening two matches in Group B, going down 1-0 to Denmark in their opener and losing 2-1 to Germany in their following fixture.

Oranje now have to beat Portugal on Sunday by two goals and hope that Joachim Low's side defeat the Danes in the other Group B fixture to ensure passage to the quarter-finals. Seleccao talisman and captain Ronaldo is likely to be the main threat to Dutch hopes, and Sneijder believes it will be a mistake to focus on just one man.

"Portugal are not just Cristiano Ronaldo," he told Goal.comin an exclusive interview. "The proof is that he hasn't scored a goal in the Euros yet, and I hope it stays that way on Sunday.
Portugal v Netherlands
Get Adobe Flash player


"If we look at what we have done throughout this year, we can beat Portugal and win well, but that will depend on how we approach the match in the opening minutes. If we score early, anything can happen.

"The situation is beyond difficult, but not impossible. Now we are focused solely on Portugal and on scoring goals, and we will see what happens in the other match."

Netherlands entered the championship as one of the tournament favourites and Sneijder stated that he can sympathise with the fans after his side lost their first two matches, while also admitting that their predicament has taken the squad by surprise.

"Nobody thought during the pre-tournament camp that we would have no points after the first two games of the Euros. That was totally unexpected for us," Sneijder conceded.

"The first defeat against Denmark knocked the wind out of us because nobody could understand how we lost that match.

"I understand our fans are disappointed and we are even more so, because before the tournament we saw ourselves with sufficient strength to win it and now we could go out in the first round."

The Inter midfielder previously hit out at the "pathetic egos" in the Dutch camp after the loss against Denmark, but assured that there is unity within the ranks ahead of Sunday's crunch clash.

"There are no problems in the Dutch camp and there's no crisis," Sneijder explained. "We all want to win and it's normal there are no happy faces, but we are professionals and we are only thinking about the team, about winning the three points and scoring goals against Portugal."

Netherlands take on Portugal at 20:45CET in Kharkiv with Denmark's clash against Germany kicking off at the same time in Lviv.
Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 WilliamHill
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 Bet365
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets PaddyPower
Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached! Coral
Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET! BetVictor
  • Euro 2012
  • Netherlands
  • Portugal

Related Stories

  • Euro 2012»
    Sneijder apologises to Netherlands fans after Germany defeat
  • Euro 2012»
    Sneijder hits out at 'pathetic egos' in Dutch camp
  • Euro 2012»
    Cristiano Ronaldo will score against Netherlands, says Rui Patricio
play
open
play pause open close
Inside Goal.Com
  • Top Specials
  • Most Read
  • Most Discussed
  1. Player Ratings: Dortmund 1-2 Bayern Player Ratings: Dortmund 1-2 Bayern

    Goal.com rates the players on show as die Roten edge out their Bundesliga rivals to complete the double after a closely contested Champions League final at Wembley

  2. Robben is finally Bayern's braveheart Robben is finally Bayern's braveheart

    The winger was the driving force behind the German outfit's triumph after years of playing second fiddle in the final

  3. Pep has a lot to live up to after Bayern win Pep has a lot to live up to after Bayern win

    The Catalan coach was appointed in January with a view to getting the best out of the Bavarians' golden generation. But just four months on, they are already European champions

  4. Top 10 all-time Champions League scorers Top 10 all-time Champions League scorers

    As the competition moves within days of its much-anticipated conclusion at Wembley, Goal profiles the most prolific players in its history

  5. Top 10 Champions League Final Moments Top 10 Champions League Final Moments

    As Europe braces itself for an all German classic at Wembley on Saturday, Goal.com takes a look back at some of the iconic moments in the history of Uefa's showpiece event since its rebranding in 1992.

 
  1. The top 10 all-time CL goalscorers
  2. 'Mario, you will never redeem yourself'
  3. Match Report: Chelsea 3-4 Man City
  4. Barcelona to sign Neymar
  5. Santos confirm Neymar bids accepted
Goal.com International
  • News
  • Editorials
  • Live
  • Transfer Zone
  • Clubs
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Goal Rich List 2013
  • Americas
  • Champions League
  • Europa League
  • World Cup
  • Video
Goal.Com Editions
  • International
  • America (EN)‎
  • United Kingdom (EN)‎
  • India (EN)‎
  • Ireland (EN)‎
  • Malaysia (EN)‎
  • Singapore (EN)‎
  • Canada (EN)‎
  • Australia (EN)‎
  • Nigeria (EN)‎
  • Ghana (EN)‎
  • Kenya (EN)‎
  • South Africa (EN)‎
  • España (ES)‎
  • Argentina (ES)‎
  • Colombia (ES)‎
  • Chile (ES)‎
  • México (ES)‎
  • Peru (ES)‎
  • Italiano
  • Deutsch
  • Français
  • Brasil (PT)‎
  • Nederlands
  • Türkçe
  • Indonesia
  • 中文
  • 繁體中文
  • 한국어
  • 日本語
  • ภาษาไทย
  • Tiếng Việt
  • فارسی
  • العربية
  • المصرية
  • السعودية
More
  • Betting
  • Mobile
  • Phone App
Copyright © 2013 Goal.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Goal.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Goal.com
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service| Contact Us| About Us