Fútbolita

Ola Futbolitas!!!

I thought I’d return and give you an update on how the mourning in Portugal is progressing!

Between Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Queiroz, Luis Figo and Jose Mourinho, they sold a whole lot of newspapers. Long story short, Ronaldo blamed Queiroz, with a single statement,”you want answers, ask CARLOS QUEIROZ!” he told a reporter!

Queiroz then responded with a “Portugal needs Ronaldo, and Ronaldo needs the national side. But if this shirt unnerves some players, they have no grounds to be there.”

Luis Figo then also critised C.R because of his behaviour “My notion of what a captain is perhaps different from other people, but a captain, regardless of the success or failure always has to defend the group. In hard times he should face the consequences for the group”

Jose Mourinho then defended his new player by stating,” In my teams, when we win, we all win,when we lose, I lose. So Ronaldo can relax and enjoy his holiday, because from next season, while he is my player, I will never allow anyone to put the responsibilities of a team on him!”

And they say women are drama queens! While most of the media fed off of this, and that fact that Queiroz earns 15 times more per year then the Portuguese president, the rest of Portugal went on with their lives, they were obviously sad not to see the team progress, many cursed Ronaldo and Queiroz from this century to the next,but most added that losing against Spain, was nothing to be ashamed of!

The Portuguese hero’s of this World Cup were = “Eduardo and Fabio Coentrao” those two names, where on everyones lips!

Other then Cristiano Ronaldo now being a daddy?!?! ( I still believe soon this son is going to turn out to be a dog!) There are news & rumours about some of the players and their futures:

Eduardo – The new darling of Portugal! He recently signed from Braga to Genoa in Italy.

Fabio Coentrao – At only 22 years old, he already has the respect of so many, the rumour is that Benfica have reached an agreement with Bayern Munich.

Deco – Retired from international football after the World Cup. Rumours are that if he can negotiate out of his current contract witht Chelsea, he could be returning to his country of birth Brazil to play for Fluminense.

Ricardo Carvalho – Reports are that he could soon be a Inter Milan player. At 32 I think this too was his last World Cup!

Tiago - Rumours are that Barcelona are “keeping an eye” on him, could he soon be playing for THAT team…

Meireles – Apparently Chelsea are set to sign him from Porto.

Hugo Almeida – Rumour is he could be heading back home to play for the current champs, Benfica.

The morning after Portugal’s loss I received my official futbolita t-shirt… I had to laugh, talk about rubbing it in!

With that I want to wish the Holland and Spanish teams, and fans, the best of luck for Sunday! May the best team win!

Signing off, Your Portugal Futbolita

Monica

So the sky fell apart when Greaseano failed to cry into Queiroz’s coat pocket following Portugal’s exit from the World Cup… but that’s because he’s too excited that he is now a PAPA! Deus Doce, everyone had their doubts about it, but since no one has come forward to deny the statements, it’s good as true.

Greasy’s son was born on June 16 and the surrogate mother is from San Diego, but we’ve already established that the poor baby wasn’t the result of a random hook-up with Herpey Hilton. Mano’s sister, Katia, said : “He has brown eyes and hair like his father. He seems to follow Cristiano a lot.” The real question is, why did Greaseano need a surrogate mother? And why is this all so random?

(PS : Artificial insemination was also picked up by Ricky Martin and Clay Aiken. YA’LL know what happened when those two eventually had to come out of the cupboard.)

Please take a moment to enjoy this exquisite creature of beauty.

via AP, Correio

In the end, after all that struggling, o manos were unable to convert (ei Nilmar!!!) and beat Portugal. Sure, Robinho would’ve been the better finisher but there was nothing at stake yesterday (except for top spot) so whatever ya’ll say, we’re behind NILMAR. Also, those yellow cards were completely unnecessary and Pepe has proven once again, that he deserves to be oil wrestling and not football. You may be reluctant to admit that Greaseano also stood out yesterday for his speed and anticipation of the ball. Despite some lapses, caras were able to contain him.

On the stands, Kaka was spending his time texting his wife next to Elano. Meu Deus, everybody wanted him to come onto the pitch to do something although he was serving a ban. He should’ve WALTZ into the field, teria sido perfeita!

BEM VINDO to the Matchday edition of Seleção Bootcamp! Don’t you love it that everybody has their headphones on in the morning? What could fofo Nilmar possibly be listening to? Lady Gaga? Meu Deus, we bet it’s Bebel Gilberto…. or Sergio Mendes! In the last two days, the guys have been training at 4:30pm everyday and attending the compulsory press conferences. At every World Cup, teams have to follow a specific FIFA protocol, and it’s no different with the selecao. Everybody has to face the press and if you’re lucky, you get the jokers Luisao or even Julio Cesar, as he proved other day. Or if you want to throw daggers at someone, Felipe Melo will be the man for you – but he won’t take it lightly!

Anyway, caras face off against Portugal today and we feel like we’ve been waiting for this one since FOREVER. Listen Greaseano, please play nice today ou eu vou mandar uma garrafa de GASOLINA para a sua casa em Madrid. Your stepovers can be nice to watch, but today, you won’t be the only one doing it because Robinho is IN THE HOUSE. Forcaaaaaa and BEIJOS to you from the squad….!

via AFP, R.Ribeiro

OK pessoas, if you were wondering about Seleção Bootcamp, it will be back at full force this weekend. Fútbolita has been trying to find the right percussion instruments to play at the Fairway Hotel and Nilmar approves, so watch out for it!

Meanwhile, while you pretend to read about the Korean war, Robinho has admitted that he “forgot to shave” during the match against North Korea last night. He probably should have – Maicon did and it worked! Sure, the score was “only” 2-1 against the North Koreans but este é o jeito brasileiro!!

“I even forgot to shave,” admitted Robinho. “Ugly face (but) nice football, God willing!”

Here’s a video of the Portuguese squad and Greaseano stripping ‘preparing’ for battle – presumably against that stalemate of a game you and your uncle had to watch the other day. Listen, the World Cup is NOT boring and if anybody says that to you, just hand them a packet of ice and tell them that Juande Ramos is waiting to tell them fairytales. Geez, it’s only the first game! You know Rui Costa is rolling his eyes as we speak!

After the full time whistle, the result wasn’t what I or any other Portugal fan had hoped, we wanted to have that first win! This is a tough group, and there is no space for mistakes! I couldn’t help think that both sides were playing it safe, not taking too many chances! While I watched on I saw the same squad that has left me with alot of questions the last couple of months! In the morning I will probably feel differently,but now I have mixed reactions. Me and the Portugal fans…

Here are some of their comments:

” They could have scored at least one goal, was it really so hard? But I guess a draw is better then nothing.”

” Scolari please come back, we don’t deserve a 1st assistant coach, we want a coach worthy of our Seleccao, our team has forgotten how to play with pride.But we will believe till the end”

” We didn’t do badly, people talk as if we are already on our way back home,it was a draw against the African team favourite to win,we did well, Ronaldo was man of the match.”

” Next game will be different, they will win North Korea and then Brazil, not all the best teams in the world have won, many have drawn too!”

Of course there were also many,many fans that do not think our team did that badly at all,and still believe that this World Cup Title is ours! It’s no secret our squad isn’t perfect, but it wasn’t so bad,that people should be so negative already! I told you before,Portuguese people are harsh critics!

One of the highlights for me was at the 11th minute,when Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot, hit the post from 30 yards, damn that would have been a goal that would have been remembered for a long,long time! He wants it so bad,and I know from watching him play all his matches in the last season at Real Madrid,that if he can just score a first,the rest will come pouring in.

Defense wise, both teams were strong, and I think we kind of cancelled each other out in this match – unfortunately! To me the name Fabio Coentrao is a name that the world should get use to, he impresses me more and more with each game!I also have to admit, that Drogba brings that extra boost to Ivory Coast, when he came on, they suddenly played with more determination, BUT still couldn’t get past our defense!

I have to mention the incident between Ronaldo and Demel, the ref gave both players a yellow, other then the foul language he exchanged with Demel, I think it was harsh,and after all that,Ronaldo still didnt get a free kick! Fifa have to do something about these sort of things, they cannot continue to ignore modern technology to help better this beautiful game!

“Why aren’t you fearing me? I’m an Elephant you know!” (via Getty)

Talking about Fifa, reminds me of something I have been meaning to bring up, alot of matches were apparently *sold out* when friends of mine tried to get tickets, so why Fifa, WHY wasn’t the stadium full? I hope that in the next world cup, the ticketing system won’t be the headache it was in South Africa! Futbolita Portugal HATES empty stadiums!!!

The actual line up was, Eduardo, Alves, Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mendes, Liedson, Danny, Raul Meireles, Deco and Fabio Coentrao. Simao came on for Danny at 55′ , Tiago followed at 62′ for Deco. My cousin loves Deco so much,so she will kill me for saying this, but does he still have it?! What about Simao, shouldnt he have started? Ruben Amorim that was called up to take Nani’s place, made his first appearance for the Senior Portugal team, when he came in for the last 5 minutes.

So do we still have a chance? I will believe until the very last whistle blows on us! Queiroz said that although they had wanted the 3 points, that he was happy with a draw,he knew afterall that it wasn’t going to be easy!

I don’t like draws, but I would rather take a draw then loosing! Seeing as it was against one of the top African teams, it wasn’t too bad. I do however want to see Portugal play with more passion, I know it’s in there somewhere!

Until the next match

Signing Off

Your Portuguese Futbolita

Monica

Beijinhos

Looks like it won’t be a thumbs up for Senhor Nani anymore! Que triste… after an injury to his left collarbone, he has been ruled out of the World Cup and surely, cara must be feeling the blow.

Someone needs to build a “We Still Care About You” hospitality tent in South Africa to house the likes of Becks, Ferdinand, Ballackwurst, Essien, Diarra, Diving Drogba and possibly now, Agent Robben. These guys will be badly missed at the World Cup but at least the hospitality tent will give fans a chance to meet them – and possibly throw darts at them.

Anyway, you can still enjoy the broody Bruno Alves, who really should have been cast in the Apocalypto film!

via AP Photo

Once again Portugal had a wonderful reception as the team bus arrived at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. You have got to love Portuguese TV, for broadcasting every little thing about this World Cup live,so that no matter where you are, you not missing a thing!

When Nani got off the bus, the Portuguese fans, chanted his name, he stopped to wave, looking rather sad! As you should know by now, Portugal had some sad news today, Nani is no longer playing in the World Cup, after a medical ruled that a colar bone injury that occured on Friday in Portugal, is in fact more serious then originally thought! sigh…

Portugal have called up Ruben Amorim of Benfica, and  he is on his way!

The Portuguese fans trully deserve to be mentioned, they have really stepped up,always behind their team! And everyone is talking about this World Cup having a “ Portuguese Flavour ” Nice!!! Fútbolita Portuguesa, is very proud! One of our players, described the fans here as the 12th player on the field, encouraging the team to keep going!

Someone else that is trully loved by the Portugal fans here, is none other then Cristiano Ronaldo, when he came on that field, for a second there you could actually hear the crowd, louder then the annoying vuvuzela! (sorry fans, I really do hate that thing!!!)  “When the team came on, they were loud,but when Ronaldo - who was last to come on the field, came on he brought down the house!” explained a tv presenter live from Wanderers!

The game was what it was, a practise run, Queiroz biggest prayer was for no one to get hurt. They didn’t overly impress, but of course the 3 goals were a welcome, Danny scored the first goal and Hugo Almeida added another 2! As a Real Madrid fan aswell, I was trully happy to see Pepe on the field after 6 months! The Mozambican fans, said that although they had wished their team had scored at least one goal,that they love Portugal,and will be cheering them on during the World Cup! This friendly was a special one for our very special pantera negra, Eusebio, who was born in Mozambique,aswell as Professore Queiroz!

Now the biggest competition is just days away for us,and we will have to see just how far our players and our no 12′s can take us!

With that I want to wish all my fellow Portuguese people a Happy Portugal Day for the 10th June! My husband may be South African, my kids may be multi nationals (or what ever you want to call it), I may even have lived longer in South Africa then in Portugal, mas este coração  é 100 % Portugues! (but this heart is 100 % Portuguese)

It was a reception that no other squad has come close to receiving!

And the Portuguese people of Gauteng answered!

Support for this idea came from Portuguese people all over the world, who encouraged the Portugal fans to give our squad the best possible welcome!

People were at the airport as early as 4 a.m, while others waited outside the Valley Lodge in Magaliesburg.By lunch time in Portugal the news had annouced,and broadcast (of course!!!) that over 3 thousand fans had welcomed Portugal, the pictures spoke for themselves, as you saw the big smile on the players faces,who too, took photos and videos of their fans!

One little boy was asked how he felt after seeing the squad, he said that he was very happy,and that one day he too would be one of those on a bus like that playing for Portugal! He spoke with so much conviction … Que giro!

Patria is a beautiful thing, and I sure am proud to be Portuguese!

The slogan on our bus says, “One dream, one purpose … Portugal Victorious” thus the team had a training session already today, and Tuesday they will play in their final friendly match before the World Cup against another Portuguese speaking nation, Mozambique! (Sold Out, SORRY!)

Until then…

Signing off

Your Portuguese Fútbolita

Mónica

Beijinhos

More then 80 000 people attended a ” Mega picnic”/ concert (Yes another concert!) in Parque Eduardo VII, in Lisbon today,all day! It is still going on,to wish our boys well in South Africa!

As the bus left their Hotel,cameras followed,and every where on the sides of the streets,hundreds of people waved our beautiful flag,and the team goodbye!

Portugal President Cavaco Silva, wished the team well and said,” I have faith in them,they will have the support of every Portuguese person throughout the world,and they can count on strong support of the Portuguese people living in Angola, Mozambique and of course South Africa.”

The support for our boys is so strong that the beautiful Portuguese people of South Africa are planning a big welcome reception for the team!

Three Portuguese men have just arrived in South Africa,they had a road trip on a (caravan) camper from Portugal across Europe,and through the African continent! Talk about dedication!!!

They wish the team well,and say that if the boys are humble,if they play with commitment and dedication,they can achieve anything!

The director of the Lodge were Portugal will be staying,said that although they are behind South Africa, everyone of them (staff) will all be wearing their Portuguese shirts,and that they will support our team throughout the tournament,unless of course we end up playing South Africa in the final he joked!

The Portuguese news consisted mainly only of this “grand” occasion, and when the news shortly focused on another topic,they had a split view,so that we could keep an eye on the bus!

You gotta love it!

As the team waited at the airport lounge to board their flight,Queiros waved the fans good bye and thanked them,a few players joined him a few seconds later! Que emocionante!!

I leave you with some statements made by our coach, which I rather liked:

“There are almost no words to thank the fans for all their care, we will carry it with us in our hearts. This will fill us with the courage to do well. We will give everything so everyone can feel proud and as I have said, the most important thing is to focus on the first game,then the second…

Many times the brilliance of a team isnt only when they win, but how you get back up when things are not right!”

Signing off
Your Portuguese Fútbolita

Mónica

Beijinhos
xx

Come on, menina, you know your mama told you to avoid the GreasePits!

Anyway, the Portugal team arrived in South Africa yesterday but before that, they had to attend a sponsor event. The band ‘Taxi’ performed and Ricardo Carvalho was given the chance to ROCK the guitar while Carlos Queiroz enjoyed his own Santana moment! Tipos also played a friendly game against the youngsters and everybody cheered (and laughed) when a young boy successfully stole the ball from Greaseano’s feet. Come on, Grease is a really nice guy who loves his nephews so obviously he was going to let little Joao have his moment!

via Globoesporte

Here are photos of your Greaseaño and Selecção das Quinas getting a warm farewell from the Portuguese people before departing for South Africa. Como e doce, we say! Well, there’s a lot riding on them to get past Ivory Coast and the eagerly anticipated match against Brasil in the Group of Death. Obviously, it’ll be a showdown between Simao The Situation and Drogba – because we all know that Fabuloso & Friends are definitely getting to the next round despite all the video games and ice-cream!

Anyway, this menina draped in the Portugal flag is sooooo adorable! They’d better do well for fans like her or she can proceed to pour a pail of cement on Greaseano’s locks.

via Terra Esportes

Benfica’s fans are celebrating their Portuguese Liga victory all over the streets, and it’s all thanks to two goals from Oscar Cardozo, their Paraguayan striker. Por fin, the title drought has ended and Javi Saviola and friends can now toast to their 32nd championship trophy!

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Benfica fans. Eles mereceram!

via AP, abola, Reuters

Yes, it’s Falcao’s day today! And no, we’re not referring to Uncle Falcão, the man who played in the 1982′ and 86′ World Cup for the selecao). Instead, it was Hulk’s best friend in Porto who scored two goals last night against União de Leria. The Colombian was a former River Plate graduate and also an extremely religious man (and according to the Mirror, runs two youth groups in church called Locos por Jesús” and “Campeones para Cristo”)

With that, we bid goodbye to the Portuguese liga season, which is Benfica’s for the taking tonight!

Photo via abola