Portugal

Ball Don’t Lie: Turkey Misses Soft Penalty To Help Portugal, Ronaldo Eke Through

Sometimes, the ball knows more than the referee and video replay.

With Portugal nursing a one-goal lead late in its UEFA World Cup qualifying playoff, Turkey was awarded a Charmin-soft penalty. Burak Yılmaz stepped up to the spot, but the ball knew what had to happen.

Yılmaz skied his penalty over the crossbar, Portugal scored a late insurance goal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s side advanced to the qualifying final with a 3-1 victory on Thursday. 

Portugal now will play North Macedonia, which stunned Italy 1-0, on Tuesday for the right to go to the World Cup in November. 

Portugal And Ronaldo’s World Cup Dream Takes Big Hit As Veteran Defender Pepe Is Out With Covid

Portugal defender Pepe will miss their World Cup playoff semi-final against Turkey on Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19, the Portuguese Football Federation said.

The 39-year-old's absence means the former European champions will be without their two first-choice centre backs for the clash at Porto, with Ruben Dias ruled out due to a hamstring injury.

7 Days, 12 Can't-Miss World Cup Qualifiers: Your Complete Guide To The Madness

The final major international window before the World Cup begins Monday and lasts through early next week with crucial matches being contested across UEFA, CONMEBOL, Concacaf, CAF, AFC and OFC. We'll know 29 of the 32 competing nations in Qatar after this period, with only the inter-confederation playoffs (two spots) and a delayed European playoff final (one spot) to go. 

Enough Of This USMNT Cold Weather Talk; Cristiano Ronaldo Is Half Naked In The Sun

There’s been a lot of talk — A LOT — about how the USMNT is going to play three World Cup qualifiers in frigid temperatures this international break. Almost every post the @USMNT Twitter account has made this week has highlighted the fact it gets kinda cold in the northern parts of the U.S. in the winter.

Investigating The Most Egregious Ballon d'Or Winners Of The Last 20 Years

After a decade-plus of domination by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, fans expected Ballon d'Or voting to bring some different results in 2021.

The obvious choice was Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who was coming off a record-breaking 41-goal campaign in the Bundesliga. 

Instead it was Messi — seemingly entering the twilight of his career — who won the award for the seventh time. "Surely something must be done," the people exclaimed at this perceived injustice. "He still can't be the best player in the world."

Ronaldo Finishes 6th In Ballon d’Or Voting, Doesn’t Attend Ceremony And Still Steals The Show

Lionel Messi edged Robert Lewandowski for the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, the Argentine’s record-extending seventh trophy as the best men’s player in the world. But Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t even attend the award show in Paris, still managed to make it all about him.

Messi, who this year helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América and Barcelona win the Copa del Rey (lol), was also named the world’s best men’s player in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019. 

Italy, Portugal Placed In Same World Cup Qualifying Path, Can’t Both Make 2022 World Cup

The last two European champions, Italy and Portugal, could face each other for a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after they were drawn in the same path for the playoffs in Zurich on Friday.

The 12 teams — 10 of which finished runners-up in their groups — were split into three four-team paths, each with its own semi-finals and final. Seeded teams were guaranteed a home game in the semifinals.

European Heavyweights Given One Last Chance To Qualify For 2022 World Cup Through UEFA Playoffs

The past two European champions could have to play against each other in a playoff for a place at next year’s World Cup as a consequence of failing to secure automatic qualification this week.

Both Italy, who won the continental title in July, and Portugal, who were winners of Euro 2016, will be on tenterhooks as they await the outcome of the draw for the March playoffs for the 12 European countries who remain in contention for three places at the World Cup.

Knives Out For Portugal’s Coach After Stunning Failure To Directly Qualify For Qatar

On Sunday in front of 65,000 faithful at Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal — needing only a draw to qualify for the World Cup — threw it all away in the 90th minute by allowing Aleksandar Mitrović to convert a back post header that sent Serbia to Qatar instead.

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