| It's the question everyone is asking not only in Portugal | | | | instead of trying to link with his team-mates up front. |
| but throughout the world by football fans, now that | | | | The only time we were able to see the true Cristiano |
| CR7 and his teammates were sent packing after their | | | | was when he unleashed a typical powerful 30 meter |
| defeat at the hands of Iberian rivals Spain in the round | | | | free kick that caused some trouble for Spain |
| of 16 match on Tuesday in Cape Town. | | | | goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the first half. Apart from that |
| With so much hype surrounding this dream Iberian | | | | he only touched the ball on 11 occasions in the second |
| derby, which featured FIFA's second- and third-ranked | | | | half. |
| sides in the world, Portugal ended their adventure | | | | South Africa has a large Portuguese community of |
| without any bang as Carlos Queiroz and his squad | | | | about half a million, so the "Selecção das Quinas" |
| were clearly beaten by a superior Spanish squad. | | | | had lots of support from tens of thousands of |
| Spain won the game 1-0 with a goal by the inevitable | | | | Portuguese fans in a full Cape Town Stadium. Even |
| David Villa at 63 minutes, which after some careful | | | | the non-Portuguese fans that came specifically so see |
| observation is clearly off-side, though not by much. | | | | their idol Cristiano Ronaldo, left the stadium highly |
| Towards the end of the game, Portugal's right back | | | | disappointed with the performance of a player that |
| Ricardo Costa was unjustly red carded for apparently | | | | was transferred for a staggering $132 million last |
| elbowing a Spanish defender. | | | | summer when Spanish club Real Madrid acquired him |
| Cristiano Ronaldo the Portugal captain and the world's | | | | from Manchester United. |
| highest-paid footballer had probably his worst game | | | | Portuguese and foreign newspapers like the LA Times |
| ever. He appeared slow and tardier than most of his | | | | were very critical of Ronaldo's performance against |
| colleagues, failing miserably to get through Spain's | | | | Spain saying that he strolled through the 90 minutes, |
| defense or even warm up his game on a chilly Cape | | | | probably didn't need a shower, and couldn't possibly |
| winter's night. | | | | have raised a sweat, given his invisibility and lack of |
| Ronaldo, who has lately been criticized for not being a | | | | effort. |
| good Portugal captain, drifted with indifference and | | | | Even the encounter of the Portuguese star with |
| frustration through most of the game, even if it can be | | | | Nelson Mandela last week was not forgotten by the |
| rightly pointed out that that he got no help from a | | | | Los Angeles newspaper, saying that even the 91 year |
| sluggish Portugal midfield with a serious lack of passing | | | | old Nelson Mandela would have moved more than |
| ability and creativity, which sorely misses players of the | | | | Ronaldo who is 25, did. |
| caliber of Luís Figo, Rui Costa and Deco when he | | | | More than likely Carlos Queiroz, who is extremely |
| was in form. | | | | unpopular in Portugal, will be fired, since his tenure as |
| CR7 who mesmerized Manchester United and most | | | | coach was hardly successful. Cristiano Ronaldo is not |
| recently Real Madrid with his magnificent skills, making | | | | the indicated player to be captain of the Portugal |
| him one of the most exciting players in the world of | | | | squad as he did nothing to lift his nation's game and |
| football, slipped back into his annoying habit of shooting | | | | keep fighting to the end in the old-fashioned way. |
| from all angles and long distances at every opportunity | | | | |