Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest forwards of all time but his latest struggles with Manchester United and Portugal have raised many questions about whether his brilliant career is nearing a bitter end.
An inexperienced Germany suffered an embarrassing 3-1 defeat to Slovakia in a storm-affected friendly ahead of Euro 2016.
Five-time champions Brazil and their former colonial masters Portugal played out a disapppointing goal-less draw in a listless Group G FIFA World Cup match as both teams progressed to the next round of the tournament in Durban on Friday.
Brazil meet Portugal in a mouth-watering finale to the World Cup group matches on Friday after holders Italy were knocked out in a humiliating defeat by tournament debutants Slovakia. The miserable display by Italy, four times world champions, followed the earlier shaming of 2006 losing finalists France, who like their European neighbours finished the first round at the bottom of their group.
A wounded Portugal, still smarting from a 4-0 defeat by Germany, are fervently hoping that talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo is fit when they take on the United States in their second World Cup Group G game on Sunday.
Manchester United bolstered their squad with a flurry of transfer deadline day signings, Manchester City and Liverpool also splashed out while ambitious Brighton & Hove Albion sealed an audacious loan deal for Barcelona's Ansu Fati on Friday.
Underworld don Abu Salem will remain in India as the top Portugal Court has observed that it was not obliged to extradite the gangster back to the European country after it was held there was violation of deportation rules by Indian authorities.
The Indian national team on Saturday played out a 1-1 draw with Portuguese third division outfit Odivelas Futebol Clube in the last practice match of their Portugal tour in Lisbon.
Ducati's Enea Bastianini claimed his first race victory of the season when he won the Malaysian Grand Prix ahead of Gresini's Alex Marquez on Sunday, while Jorge Martin failed to close the gap on championship leader Francesco Bagnaia.
Cristiano Ronaldo powered home a superb header to give Portugal a 1-0 win against the Czech Republic on Thursday and set up a Euro 2012 semi-final against holders Spain or France.
Cristiano Ronaldo's shoulder injury is not serious and he will join up with the Portugal squad later on Monday, his club Real Madrid said.
Spain marched into the quarter-finals in their own inimitable style on Tuesday when another display of patient, precise passing let David Villa deliver a 1-0 win over a Portugal side left chasing shadows
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
This is what Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh told the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will leave with immediate effect, the English Premier League team said on Tuesday, marking a bitter end to the Portugal captain's second spell at Old Trafford after he said he felt betrayed by the club.
Cool-headed Germany extended their Euro 2012 winning streak to reach the last eight with a solid 2-1 victory over Denmark on Sunday as two goals from an inspired Cristiano Ronaldo put Portugal through and sent the Dutch packing.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo believes the pressure is off his country as they prepare for a daunting group at Euro 2012.
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric came off the bench to net a stunning strike from the edge of the box late in the second half to secure a 1-0 home win over Sevilla on Sunday and stretch their lead at the top of La Liga to eight points.
The battle for Champions League qualification continues with fourth-placed Aston Villa away to Luton Town on Saturday and Tottenham Hotspur, who are five points behind with a game in hand, hosting Crystal Palace.
Portugal winger Nani is struggling to shake off an injury to his right foot and may miss his country's opening Euro 2012 game against Germany, coach Paulo Bento said on Friday.
France, Portugal and Russia all moved closer to next year's World Cup finals with first leg playoff wins on Saturday, although none of them did enough to take victory for granted in the second legs next week.
India still awaits his extradition to face trial in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and other cases.
Bayer Leverkusen beat Freiburg 3-2 to edge closer to a first ever Bundesliga title.
Portugal's Supreme Court has rejected a Central Bureau of Investigation appeal against a lower court decision which had held that rules have been breached on extradition of underworld don Abu Salem by slapping of new charges that attract death penalty.
In his fifth World Cup, Ronaldo will arrive captaining a team of standout players who are widely seen as among the world's best but who have arguably underachieved on the biggest stage.
Striker Adriano, who has been left out of Inter Milan's last two games for indiscipline, was named in Brazil's squad on Monday for this month's friendly against Portugal. World Player of the Year Kaka was also included by coach Dunga but Ronaldinho, who missed last month's World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Colombia, was again overlooked.
2023 was marked by outstanding sporting achievements, shattered records, and the crowning of new champions, all captured by photographers documenting every significant twist and turn.
Neymar's involvement in matches on Indian turf is eagerly anticipated, though exact dates remain pending the final match schedule release.
The 15-nation UN Security Council had last week voted for Guterres by acclamation and forwarded his name to the General Assembly.
Brazil gave beleaguered coach Dunga some respite on Wednesday by thumping Portugal 6-2 in a friendly, helped by a hat-trick from striker Luis Fabiano. The five-times world champions had been held to 0-0 draws in their last three home games, against Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia, and had not scored in front of their own fans since last November.
Cristiano Ronaldo, suffering with tendinosis around his left knee and an injury to his right thigh, trained with his Portugal team mates on Saturday for the first time since joining the World Cup squad 10 days ago.
Huge cutouts of football stars including Messi, Neymar Jr and Ronaldo can be seen across the state.
Centre forward Eder, who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2016 final against France, was among 10 players from that squad omitted from Santos's list. Other unlucky players included midfielders Andre Gomes and Renato Sanches, forward Nani and defender Eliseu.
'No title can explain the impact you've had on people and what I and so many around the world feel when we watch you play. That's a gift from god.'
Mercurial forward Ricardo Quaresma scored twice and set up three more goals in a sparkling individual performance as Portugal demolished Estonia 7-0 in their final friendly before Euro 2016 on Wednesday. The charismatic but erratic forward, given a chance to stake his place in the team for France when he replaced Nani in the starting line-up, even upstaged Cristiano Ronaldo who scored twice before being taken off at halftime. Quaresma, whom critics say has failed to make the most of his talent in a career punctuated by tantrums, produced his full repertoire of tricks in one of the best international performances of his topsy-turvy career. The 32-year-old opened the floodgates with two moments of brilliance just before halftime. This first was a stunning "trivela", an outswinging cross hit with the outside of his right foot, to pick out Ronaldo who got in front of his marker and scored with a bullet header at the far post in the 36th minute.
Portugal play surprise package Morocco in the quarter-finals on Saturday and a visibly frustrated Santos took great pains to explain what happened behind the scenes to put the issue to bed.
Russia joined Sweden, Turkey and Portugal as the last four qualifiers for next year's European championship on Wednesday after England's hopes were shattered in a 3-2 defeat by Croatia at Wembley Stadium.
Brazil are pre-tournament favourites to win a record-extending sixth title.
Cristiano Ronaldo tucked away a penalty and slammed home a free kick as he set a new record for the most international caps
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances