SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Fans arrive for Portugal's warm-up match against Mozambique

Record ID: 452748

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Fans arrive for Portugal's warm-up match against Mozambique
  • Date: 9th June 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PORTUGAL FAN, HUGO VELOSA, SAYING: "He (Cristiano Ronaldo) must do something, for his club his playing very well but now he need to play well for the national team." MORE OF FANS ARRIVING STADIUM
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABWSSQEEYA3DB4QB5QG8LKPK0O
  • Story Text: Thousands of Portuguese soccer fans gathered at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday (June 8) to see their side's final World Cup warm-up match against Mozambique.
    Despite the large crowd, there was no repetition of the scenes last Sunday (June 6) when a number of people were injured trying to enter the Makhulong Stadium to watch another World Cup warm-up match between North Korea and Nigeria.
    Portugal's hopes have been hit following the news that injury to Nani has put him out of the World Cup, putting more pressure on his former Manchester United colleague Cristiano Ronaldo.
    "Cristiano Ronaldo has not scored any goals in the previous national team matches but we have great expectations of him," said one fan Antonio Santos.
    Another fan, Nelson Rodrigues, was confident that Portugal, semi-finalists in 1966 and 2006, could go on to win the trophy for the first time.
    "I think this will be the best World Cup here in South Africa, I always said if Portugal will be here we will be champions, ole Portugal," he said.
    Hugo Velosa, another Portuguese fan, was less optimistic, saying that Ronaldo now has to perform for the team to do well.
    "He (Cristiano Ronaldo) must do something, for his club his playing very well but now he need to play well for the national team," he said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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