Fútbolita

Oh My Word, I don’t have words to describe how happy I am, how happy the team is, how happy Eusebio is, how happy the Portuguese fans are!!! We are in 7th Heaven yes,as the South African Futbolita pointed out to me!

This morning my 5 year old daughter said “Mommy today Portugal is going to win 6-0” I smiled at her and though “I wish!”

They have complained that this World Cup lacked goals, well there you have it 7 goals in a incredible match! Today Portugal showed the world that we too are capable of playing beautiful football! Clearly the boys took to heart when the Coach told them to fall in love with Jabulani,because that was their ball for the World Cup!

Yesterday our dear Capitao promised the fans goals, a lot of goals, he said he didn’t know who would score them, but the goals were coming! I thought,” Ronaldo, don’t make promises you can’t keep!”

It’s almost as if the boys knew today was going to be a good day for us! They looked so calm, as they entered the field, smiles on their faces, you wouldn’t have thought that the coaches message to them for this game was ” All or nothing! ” or that half the fans in Portugal had just about given up on them after the Ivory Coast game! Yes that’s what happens when you draw in your first World Cup Match! And just like that by wining one game, all their sins are forgiven!

Ronaldo once again is a darling after scoring his first goal in over 16 months! His face when he scored said what we all thought “Finally!” He even got a smile and a thumbs up from our Hero Eusebio!

Ronaldo’s long awaited goal! (photos AP)

For those of you who have been living under a rock, in 1966 Portugal played North Korea, and were down 3-0 when Eusebio scored 4 of the 5 goals,in the second half, ending the game with a 5-3 victory for Portugal! The Korean coach had said that they were playing for revenge, yaicks… I guess now they hate us even more!

So let me try to snap out of my high, and lets see what the team did today, that they didn’t against Ivory Coast!

There was unity today, they showed what happens when a team comes together! There were also four changes in the teams line up, Miguel,Tiago, Simao and Hugo Almeida! Take note Mr. Queiroz  three of these boys scored 4 of those goals!!!

Playing in a 4-3-3 formation, this is how it went down! In the first half, Raul Meireles put a smile on our faces,with goal at 29′. But the magic really happened just after the second half started, when in just 7 minutes they managed to score 3 goals, courtesy of Simao 53′, Hugo Almeida 56′ and Tiago 60′.

It could snow for all Meireles cared,that goal was going in! (Photos AP)

With half and hour to go, there was plenty of time still for more, and another three goals then came in a nine minute span, these by, Liedson at 81′ who had just come on as a sub, Cristiano Ronaldo at 87′ and just as we thought it was over Tiago netted at 89′ making it 7! It could have been more goals, if we have to be honest, but the team did a beautiful job, and we are all very proud of our boys!

The team became the first European team to be successful at the Green Point Stadium, they also hold the record of the highest goals scored in the 2010 World Cup, and in Portugal’s history of goals at a World Cup, all in all a good day for Portugal.

One of my friends and her family travelled about 1600 km by car to come watch this game, I have no doubt in my mind that a win like this, made all those hours worth it!” The atmosphere was amazing.The 12th player was truly the spectator! That stadium was all behind Portugal and mostly Ronaldo. Everyone wanted him to score and he didn’t disappoint! It was one of the most amazing games I have ever seen! Cape Town is the friendliest city on earth! ” Sonia Campos.

“I would like to express my great satisfaction to the Portuguese players for the wonderful way in which they played,their great attitude,reverence for the game,the beautiful football,the beautiful goals. It is important that players enjoy the game, and play the way they know to play football, and we can add the things to goals it is wonderful and really fantastic. North Korea played in a very dignified manner without fouling any other players and with their heads held high. It was a great day for Portugal and Portuguese Football! ” Carlos Queiroz.

Tonight the team can sleep peacefully knowing that they have silenced many critics, at least for the time being! Tomorrow will be a new day,with only their next game in mind, facing Brazil, their friends, in a game that some are labelling has a ‘friendly’ now!But more about that next time!

Until then…Signing off,

Your high on football Portuguese Futbolita

Monica

So Werder Bremen thrashed Freiburg 6-0 last night in the Bundesliga (See, they don’t even need Diego aka Survivor Contestant No. 91255 these days). As for Hugo Almeida, we’ve not heard from him for a while so it was finally nice to see the Portuguese striker helping himself to a double.

Also, did you know that Almeida is lovely family man who he doesn’t travel anywhere without a photo of his two daughters, Marianna and Matilde? His wife, Andreia added that he doesn’t go anywhere without his “mobile phone, computer and PSP” either. Ah, isso é muito típico ... She added that the ‘most difficult time’ for the family was when Hugo had to go play at the Euro 2008.

“Once, he forgot his phone in Viseu and I had to go all the way there to collect it for him,” Andreia recalled. Now now, isn’t that what a mulher is for? We’re off to find a broom now….