Argentina vs Portugal, Messi vs Ronaldo live streaming and preview

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will finally meet in an international when Argentina faces Portugal on Wednesday. Longtime club rivals in the Champions League and Spain, the gifted forwards have never come up against each other on national team duty because the friendly in neutral Switzerland is their countries' first meeting in almost 40 years.

The historic clash arrives with Barcelona's Messi and Real Madrid's Ronaldo locked at the top of the Spanish scoring chart with 24 league goals each.

Portugal coach Paulo Bento downplayed talk of a personal duel between the two most recent winners of FIFA's world player award. Bento says "it's not about individual rivalry. I doubt whether Ronaldo or Messi see it that way, either."

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Ruben Amorim will replace Nani for the World Cup

Portugal's Manchester United striker Nani is out of the World Cup after injuring his collarbone, the Portuguese Football Federation said Tuesday on its website.

"After bruising his collarbone and after medical tests, we have concluded the player is unfit to play the World Cup," an FPF statement read.

"The medical dossier will be presented to Manchester United's medical department," the FPF added.

Nani, four goals in 34 games for his country to date - including three during qualifying - suffered the injury in training on Friday and the 23-year-old will now be replaced by Ruben Amorim of Benfica.

Under FIFA rules, a player can be replaced until the day before their first match.

Portugal, who go up against Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea, were playing a friendly later in Johannesburg against Mozambique.

Pepe set to return for Portugal

Portugal defensive midfielder Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira "Pepe" will make his return after a six-month absence in a friendly against Mozambique on Tuesday, coach Carlos Queiroz announced on Monday.

"Pepe will play a good few minutes," said Queiroz at a press conference.

"He'll come on in the second half, when the rhythm and the intensity of the match have dropped. It will be good for him to get some time on the ball."

Pepe, 27, has been in a race against time to prove his fitness for the World Cup after sustaining a serious knee injury in December while playing for his club Real Madrid, for whom he plays at centre-back.

His participation in the South Africa showpiece was finally confirmed when Portugal's medical staff gave the green light for him to be included in Queiroz's 23-man squad for the June 11-July 11 tournament.

Portugal, semi-finalists in 2006, play Mozambique in Johannesburg on Tuesday in their final warm-up match before embarking upon their Group G campaign against Ivory Coast in Port Elizabeth on June 15.

Pepe, who has 24 caps, took part in training here at the picturesque Bekker High School, west of Johannesburg and his return will boost Portugal ahead of the first game, while the Africans have worries of their own.

Their captain Didier Drogba is struggling to be fit after breaking his elbow in Friday's friendly against Japan and had a successful operation in Bern, Switerland, at the weekend.

Drogba is key to the Elephants' hopes of progressing out of Group G, which also includes Brazil and North Korea.

The African Player of the Year scored 37 goals in all competitions for Chelsea last season and his absence would be a huge blow to Sven-Goran Eriksson's side, said Portugal defender Bruno Alves.

"We know all about Drogba, he is a world-class player," said the Porto centre-back.

"We know the Ivory Coast have special players in their team, but we have to think about the overall team, not just an individual.

"However, Drogba is an excellent player for the Ivory Coast and they will miss him. If he is not able to play, the World Cup will miss him."

One of the highlights of the World Cup's group stage will see Portugal take on South American giants Brazil in Durban on June 25, but Alves says his side plan on qualifying for the last 16 before the mouth-watering clash.

"The Brazilian team is very strong, everyone knows their players," said 28-year-old Alves, whose side play North Korea on June 21.

"The team has great strength in depth in every area, technically and tactically.

"We will do our best to make sure we have already qualified before this game and then we will do everything to beat Brazil.

"We know we have the potential to beat them and our players believe in themselves."

South Africa 2010 t-shirts, colours, kits

All the National squads are ready, at least his t-shirts.

Brands Standings:

Adidas: 12 National Teams

Nike: 9

Puma:7

Hummel (North Korea)

Joma (Honduras)

Brooks (Chile)

Umbro (England)

All t-shirts:

GROUP A

South Africa

México

Uruguay

France

GROUP B

Argentina

Nigeria

South Korea

Grecia

GROUP C

England

United States

Algeria

ESlovenia

GROUP D

Germany

Australia

Serbia

Ghana

GROUP E

The Netherlands

Denmak

Japan

Cameroon

GROUP F

Italy

Paraguay

New Zealand

Slovak Republic

GROUP G

Brazil

North Korea

Ivory Coast

Portugal

GROUP H

Spain

Switzerland

Honduras

Chile

Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe chosen by Carlos Queiroz for Portugal's World Cup roster

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz included Pepe in his 24-man preliminary World Cup squad Monday even though the Real Madrid defender hasn't played since an injury in December.

Pepe was a standout during Portugal's lacklustre qualifying campaign before he underwent surgery on his right knee. He recently returned to training.

Queiroz also selected Zenit St. Petersburg striker Danny, who didn't play for almost a year after a serious ligament injury in May 2009.

Queiroz initially said he would announce his final 23-man squad Monday, but he added one more spot and indicated that he was waiting to check players' fitness at a training camp starting Friday. He has to cut one player before the final squad is handed to FIFA by the June 1 deadline.

Queiroz said he had "one or two doubts" about player fitness but did not elaborate. "Things can happen at a training camp and we want to be sure the ones we take are in the best shape," Queiroz said at the presentation. Journalists were not permitted to ask questions.

Queiroz said he was hoping Cristiano Ronaldo, who was dogged by injuries and failed to score during qualifying, would be on top form in South Africa. "We all know that because of his fitness and his injuries he couldn't give his best," Queiroz said of Ronaldo. "Now we'll do all we can to get him properly ready."

Queiroz sprang a surprise by choosing Beto and Daniel Fernandes as his backup goalkeepers, even though neither of them featured during qualifying. Neither did defenders Ze Castro and Ricardo Costa, who have only three caps between them.

Portugal reached the semifinals at the 2006 World Cup and is in Group G with five-time world champion Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea.

Portugal's opening game is against Ivory Coast — described by Queiroz as "one of the candidates for a podium finish" — on June 15.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Eduardo (FC Braga), Beto (FC Porto), Daniel Fernandes (Iraklis).

Defenders: Duda (Malaga), Bruno Alves (FC Porto), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea), Miguel Brito (Valencia), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Rolando (FC Porto), Fabio Coentrao (Benfica), Pepe (Real Madrid), Ze Castro (Deportivo, Ricardo Costa (Lille).

Midfielders: Deco (Chelsea), Tiago (Atletico Madrid), Raul Meireles (FC Porto), Pedro Mendes (Sporting), Miguel Veloso (Sporting Lisbon).

Forwards: Nani (Manchester United), Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Danny (Zenit St. Petersburg), Liedson (Sporting Lisbon).

Cristiano Ronaldo out for South Africa 2010 Qualifying

Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo's injured right ankle will keep him out for three or four weeks, Spanish media said Monday.

"Madrid upset; they think Portugal should not have pushed the player," to turn out for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Hungary, headlined Marca.

"Four weeks out", the daily noted, listing all the matches the world's most expensive player will miss, including Champions league ties against AC Milan on October 21 and November 3.

"It was reckless of him to play," Marca quoted a Real Madrid source as saying. "Understandable recklessness, but reckless."

Ronaldo had shaken off a twist to the same ankle to start Saturday's Group One clash, but lasted just 27 minutes of the 3-0 victory in Lisbon.

Real Madrid lie second in the league after six games, three points behind champions Barcelona.

Ronaldo, Real's leading league scorer with five, missed their 2-1 defeat away to Sevilla on October 4 because of the ankle problem he picked up the previous week against Marseille in the Champions league.

“Cristiano Ronaldo right to follow Real Madrid dream”

Cristiano Ronaldo had every right to push through his world record £80million move to Real Madrid, according to his former team-mate Rio Ferdinand.

Although the Reds star was sad to see Ronaldo leave Manchester United, he said the World and European Player of the Year had earned the right to follow his dream.

"I don't think any of the lads are bitter or should be bitter towards Ronnie," said Ferdinand.

"You have to look at it this way - he came here as a young lad and gave six years of his career to this club.

Bearing in mind careers average out between 10-12 years, he's given half his career to United, and I think you have to respect that.

"You can't put a shadow over someone's dream. Since he was a kid he's wanted to play for Real Madrid.

"Playing for United is the holy grail for some people and it's those people who probably don't understand why he wants to go somewhere else that - for him - equals that holy grail.

"He'll always have a great affinity with the players here and I'm sure in the longterm the fans will see he was a great servant to the club."

Source: Mirror

Deco happy at Chelsea after Ancelotti meeting

Chelsea midfielder Deco insists he is happy at the club after showdown talks with new manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Portugal international was expected to leave the Blues this summer, but failed to seal a move to Inter Milan and now claims he will give his all for the cause this season.

"I have talked with the manager," explained Deco. "We talked a lot about things, about the game, about what he thinks about the team and tactics. "I will be here. I have a contract and I will do my best, wherever I am on the pitch."

Although Deco flourished early on last season a succession of injuries hampered the Brazilian-born star's form. The 31-year-old is hoping staying injury-free this time around will give him the chance to show fans what they have been missing.

"The last season was difficult for me - I had many injuries," he continued. "You recover and get fit again and, straight after, another injury. I hope this season will be different. I'm happy to play.

"I hope I can show fans what I can do. I'm happy to be here. The club is good, the atmosphere around it is good. I like being here."


Source: ESPN