Fernando Gomes predicts Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal will shine

Saturday, Jul 06, 2013

Dubai: Former Portugal and FC Porto striker Fernando Gomes has tipped Cristiano Ronaldo and co to do his country proud at next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

“I doubt Portugal needs to do anything different from what it is presently doing. The country has invested in a strong youth development programme since the past few years that have seen some great players. We’ve not had the luck but I can see this current crop of players delivering next year in Brazil under Ronaldo,” Gomes told Gulf News on the sidelines of the third Dubai International Football Championship which was scheduled to conclude on Saturday at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

“This Portugal team is a great, compact side at the moment revolving around Ronaldo. He is such a talented player that he has the capacity to motivate and bring out the best in his teammates and I have the confidence he will be the leader Portugal can look up to next year,” he added.

Despite producing some of the most talented players such as Eusebio, Luis Figo, Ricardo Carvalho, Vitor Baia, Fernando Couta, Rui Costa, Pauleta, Deco and Ronaldo, Portugal are yet to live to their potential and hype and win a major trophy in football so far.

Portugal’s best performances at the Fifa World Cup have been two semi-final appearances — the first one in 1966 where they lost 1-2 to eventual champions England at Wembley and the second time in 2006 in Germany.

After their disastrous campaign in South Africa in 2010 under Carlos Queiroz, Paulo Bento has been put at the helm as Portugal try to qualify for next year’s showcase in Brazil. After seven matches, Portugal currently top Group F ahead of Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.

The 56-year-old Gomes’s career took off with FC Porto way back in late 1970s and 1980s.

He went on to represent Portugal on 50 occasions, taking in a Fifa World Cup and a European Championships. “I don’t have any doubt on the youth development process we follow in Portugal. This takes place from the start and each player is instilled with this belief that they ought to work hard to be champions,” he noted.

“Now with Ronaldo as the captain and a talented pool of players around him, I have the hope and confidence that Portugal will deliver,” Gomes added.

By Alaric Gomes Senior Reporter