Saturday, June 1, 2013

Will Ronaldo et al. Make It to the World Cup 2014?

Certainly, the name “Ronaldo” isn’t one that would escape the notice of even the most casual football fan. It’s a name shared by two legends—one from Brazil (who is now retired), and the other from Portugal, a country that presently ranks third in the UEFA Group F standings (behind Russia and Israel) for the qualifying section.


With the world’s (arguably) best striker on their team, how can Portugal have any trouble making it to the finals?

Well, for one, Portugal’s performance has been inconsistent. They lost to Russia, had a 3-3 draw with Israel, and only barely squeezed past Azerbaijan and Luxembourg.


If Portugal does well in its last four matches (against Russia, Northern Ireland, Israel, and Luxembourg), they may be able to secure a spot in the playoffs. Also, Ronaldo needs to step up and neutralize Portugal’s goal problems, as well as help minimize any errors (i.e. the inability to penetrate Russia’s tight defense) that led to his team’s defeat against Russia.

Can Ronaldo carry his team through the playoffs and into the finals? Who knows; the superstar striker may be able to repeat the last-minute stunt he pulled against Luxembourg last time. Otherwise, the Real Madrid No. 7 might not see Brazil in 2014.

Photo credit: Zimbio


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