Nani caused quite a stir this week after claiming that he would be fit in a week, despite being sent home from the World Cup. If he was to return to fitness so soon, it would be he only missed one group stage game, therefore begging the question why Portugal had replaced him in the squad.

Some rumours claimed he had failed a drugs test, although this was immediately denied by the head of anti-doping authority in Portugal.

You'd think pre-tournament friendlies are a mutually beneficial concept which can be enjoyed by all. Portugal don't see it as such. Apparently closing out World Cup preparations against them is such a treat it requires substantial compensation. Mexico weren't willing to make such concessions, which is why we may have one of the very few cases of an international friendly being canceled because one team wouldn't give up dirty sheets and petri dishes masquerading as remote controls.

Manchester United reserves were beaten emphatically by Aston Villa reserves on Thursday night while United new boy Bebe made his debut finishing out the full 90. Bebe stole most of the headlines due to his high profile summer transfer and has been rumored as cover for the now injured Antonio Valencia.

Durante la conferencia de prensa antes de la concentración de México en el Centro de Alto Rendimiento se habló del tema de la cancelación del partido México vs Portugal, del próximo 30 de Mayo en el país luso.

Las razones que expuso Néstor de la Torre ante los medios fue que debido a problemas con la Federación de Portugal que no se pudieron arreglar y por ende el partido no se llevará acabo.

Can you name the mystery man shaking hands with United Chief Executive David Gill? Well neither could I until about 2 minutes ago! That's because he's apparently a somewhat (completely) unknown striker named Bebe, who also happens to be the newest signing of Manchester United. Here are the basic facts, as reported by a variety of news organizations:

1) Bebe's real name is "Tiago Manuel Dias Correia", and he was born on July 12, 1990.

Manchester United have now loaded up on strikers for the upcoming year by signing little known 20-year old Portuguese striker Bebe from Portuguese club Vitória de Guimarães. This is an amazing rags to riches story of a kid that grew up in an orphanage and even represented Portugal in the homeless World Cup.

By AVI CREDITOR

The Vancouver Whitecaps will likely be making many personnel changes before their inaugural season in Major League Soccer, but a change at coach is not in the cards.

Teitur Thordarson received a multi-year extension from the Whitecaps on Thursday, cementing his stay as coach when the Whitecaps join MLS.

Below you'll find a complete list of the 32 coaches at World Cup 2010. You'll also find their nationality, and their age going into the tournament. Beneath that you'll find some amateur hour number crunching I did with pen, paper and the calculator on my cell phone to work out a few statistics.

Before you look at the list of coaches and the numbers, do yourself a favour and have a guess at how those numbers pan out.

Below you'll find a complete list of the 32 coaches at World Cup 2010. You'll also find their nationality, and their age going into the tournament. Beneath that you'll find some amateur hour number crunching I did with pen, paper and the calculator on my cell phone to work out a few statistics.

Before you look at the list of coaches and the numbers, do yourself a favour and have a guess at how those numbers pan out.

O novo seleccionador nacional passou com distinção o teste que constituiu a sua apresentação oficial imprensa. Paulo Bento desvalorizou o facto de ser segunda escolha para o cargo, defendeu que os interesses colectivos da selecção deverão estar acima de egos, o seu e dos jogadores, e deixou uma garantia: «Não escondo que o momento é difícil, mas tudo aquilo que acontecer daqui para a frente de negativo, a responsabilidade é do seleccionador nacional.

O novo seleccionador nacional passou com distinção o teste que constituiu a sua apresentação oficial imprensa. Paulo Bento desvalorizou o facto de ser segunda escolha para o cargo, defendeu que os interesses colectivos da selecção deverão estar acima de egos, o seu e dos jogadores, e deixou uma garantia: «Não escondo que o momento é difícil, mas tudo aquilo que acontecer daqui para a frente de negativo, a responsabilidade é do seleccionador nacional.

Who are the top candidates to fill the vacant Toronto FC head coaching job in MLS?
Gerry Dobson handicaps the field, with some big names being thrown about by the Canadian media-
Some big names are believed to be interested in the vacant Toronto FC coaching job.
By now you're aware that when MLSE said they would be after a big name with a significant pedigree in the sport to run Toronto FC, they meant none other than Juergen Klinsmann.

Maybe the Red Bulls just don't get it.
They continue to ignore the blueprints of success with other Major League Soccer clubs, and hire foreign coaches with zero MLS experience. Without a head coach with a keen knowledge of the American player - be it current players in the league or upincoming collegiate/youth players - the Red Bulls have failed on several occasions.

Where, oh where, will Sir Alex Ferguson poach from now?

Apparently it's about to become official that Manchester United's longstanding player-poaching relationship with Sporting Lisbon has ended and that Manchester City is at the ready to step in to use Portugal's best developmental system as its farm team.

Começámos finalmente a discutir detalhes da nossa estadia em Valley Lodge e na Bekker High School, local onde iremos realizar os treinos. Curiosa a reacção das dezenas de jovens da escola, que estavam desenvolvendo actividade física, maioritariamente râguebi, que não só conhecem bem Carlos Queiroz, mas também adoram a nossa selecção e alguns dos nossos jogadores.

Parece mentira pero han debido pasar unos séis años desde que dos de los futbolistas más prometedores de la Liga chocaran y de esa colisión se produjeran movimientos tempestuosos. Rubén González Rocha era una de las perlas de la cantera del Real Madrid, un central rápido que parecía apuntar maneras.

Ok, quizas no es una pelea a puño y patada pero el tecnico de Portugal, Carlos Queiroz, quiere el hotel Thaba Ya Batswana donde la seleccion de Mexico estara concentrada durante el Mundial a cambio de un amistoso el 30 de Mayo. Obviamente el representante Mexicano le dijo 'no chingues' y el amistoso se cancelo.

É esta estupenda vista que os 23 convocados por Carlos Queiroz para o Mundial da África do Sul vão poder desfrutar no Hotel Serra da Estrela, onde vão pernoitar a 1.550 metros de altitude, durante o estágio que vão realizar na Covilhã.
Tranquilidade e ar puro não vão faltar durante a estadia nas Penhas da Saúde, bem diferente do reboliço das grandes metrópoles como Madrid ou Londres.

Dan Gaspar has more international experience than any American who has never been the manager of the US team at a World Cup.
His relationship with Carlos Queiroz is well-documented, and the two have worked together in several stints together.

With club football now truly done and dusted for the season, everyone's attention can now switch to the impending World Cup in South Africa.

Compare and buy FIFA World Cup tickets online now!

Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho may have confirmed his status as the greatest thing since sliced bread but the argument over which is the best international football team in the world is just about to begin.

Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo has clamored for World Cup officials to give skilled players more protection. Already we've seen four red cards this tournament and some more bone-crunching tackles, and Ronaldo felt as if he was targeted by a rugged Ivory Coast team yesterday.

"Referees should protect the more skilful players when they are getting fouled by the opposition," Ronaldo told The Sun.

>> Click Here To Watch Portugal Vs North Korea Live Now <<

Portugal Vs North Korea Live Streaming & Match Preview
FIFA World Cup 2010 – Portugal Vs North Korea Live Online Click Here
Monday, June 21st 2010
Kick Off : 12:30 BST
Venue : Green Point Stadium, Cape Town South Africa

Portugal and North Korea will participate in a match for the group G of the World Cup, to be played at the Green Point Stadium on Monday 21 June 2010, kick-off set for 12:30 PM.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal side were eliminated by Spain after only conceding one goal in four matches. It is said that misery loves company but apparently this was not the case for Cristiano in Cape Town.

In comments published by the Madrid broadsheet, Marca, Ronaldo explained his reasons for not attending the post-match press conference and the uproar over one of his statements in the media mixed zone.

According to reports in Lisbon, Arsenal are looking to bring Portugal international goalkeeper Eduardo.

I first heard about this via mbal.org.uk and decided to do a little bit of digging.

It is understood that the representatives of Eduardo are looking to the Premiership in a bid to further his career after what has been a very good World Cup for him personally, despite the failings of the Portugal national team.

Manchester United yesterday sensationally clinched the signing of Portuguese unknown Bebe. Based on the recommendation of former assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, Sir Alex Ferguson purchased the 20 year old striker for a fee reported to be in the region of £7.4 million, and now everyone is scrambling to get more details on the newest member of United.

Manchester United completed the shock signing of pretty much unknown Portuguese striker Bebe yesterday, increasing their array of young talent. With Sir Alex splashing out £7.4million for his signature, there has to be something special about the striker, right?

Two weeks have passed since Bebé was announced as Manchester United's latest signing of the summer but the decision to invest £7m in the unknown Portuguese striker got even more intriguing this week when he was overlooked for selection for a reserve game against Manchester City. Bebé arrived in England amidst unsubstantiated reports that he had once turned out in the Homeless World Cup, but United's coaching staff decided that he was not yet ready even for a place on the second string's bench for the game in Hyde on Tuesday night.

In my opinion, there really is not a better manager than Jose Mourinho who could take over the volatile hot-seat at Real Madrid. His self-defined confident arrogance leaves him standing as the perfect man for the job. Over the past few years, Real have seen a host of managers come and go in quick succession.

Despite what you may have heard, Manchester United's Bebé was included on Manchester United's 25-man Champions League's squad. Originally, it was reported by several media outlets that Bebe was left off the list; however, Manchester United have confirmed that Bebe was infact included and the omission was the result of an administration error by UEFA.

When does coincidence become a curse? I honestly don't know but I think that someone recently put a hex on Metro coaches of old. Check out the victims list from the last 7 days: back in the day gaffer Carlos Queiroz got the boot from Portugal last week, Juan Carlos "The Professor" Osorio just got the chop down in Columbia and there are rumors of "Trader" Mo Johnston's demise in Toronto.

Jose Mourinho wants to take charge of the Portuguese national team. Temporarily anyway. The Portugal team has been managerless since firing Carlos Queiroz on September 9th, and are desperately in need of someone to take over for the two Euro 2012 qualifying games vs. Denmark and Iceland in October.

In a surprise move which could have consequences for Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant Mike Phelan, former Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz could be on his way back to Old Trafford for the THIRD time. The...
Continue to the full story

In a surprise move which could have consequences for Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant Mike Phelan, former Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz could be on his way back to Old Trafford for the THIRD time. The...
Continue to the full story

Começa amanhã com o jogo Angola/Mali, a CAN, a competição de futebol mais importante de África. Nesta prova, disputada pela primeira vez em Angola, estará em destaque a selecção da Costa do Marfim, pelo que Carlos Queiroz seguirá com toda a atenção a participação dos costamarfinenses.

Ao observar o primeiro jogo de ontem entre o Malawi e a Argélia veio-me ideia um facto que me parece poder vir a ser uma constante durante esta competição. Pretendendo organizar uma prova deste tipo, a exemplo do que se faz na Europa, os africanos correm o risco de transporem para uma realidade diferente aquilo que acontece noutros locais com outro grau de desenvolvimento e sobretudo de experiência.

Sempre tive muita dificuldade em compreender e aceitar que técnicos se pronunciem sobre as equipas dirigidas por outros seus colegas, mesmo e sobretudo quando se trata da Selecção Nacional. Para quem não está por dentro, difícil é não errar nas análises e nas ideias, algumas vezes baseadas unicamente em imagens e palavras vindas da comunicação social, alguma delas destituídas de qualquer fundamento.

Carlos Queiroz is apparently following a fixed list of 38 players. From this list he will choose the 23 next World Champions. Oh yeah!

These are the players he took to the qualifiers:

Player (games/min played):

1 ) RAUL MEIRELES (12/1042)
2 ) PEPE (11/990)
3 ) RICARDO CARVALHO (10/885)
4 ) BRUNO ALVES (9/810)
5 ) BOSINGWA (9/764)
6 ) SIMAO (10/731)
7 ) EDUARDO (8/720)
8 ) DECO (10/712)
9 ) DUDA (7/630)
10) NANI (11/619)
11) CRISTIANO RONALDO (7/567)
12) LIEDSON (6/450)
13) PAULO FERREIRA (5/450)
14) HUGO ALMEIDA (7/390)
15) QUIM (4/360)
16) TIAGO (5/293)
17) JOAO MOUTINHO (5/180)
18) PEDRO MENDES (2/180)

A seleção portuguesa vai enfrentar a China, dia 3 de março, no último amistoso antes da convocação para a Copa do Mundo. O time de Cristiano Ronaldo será o terceiro adversário do Brasil na África do Sul.
A Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF) ainda não confirmou o local da partida com os chineses, mas afirmou que será em Portugal.

Clubs around the world might do well to seriously consider former New England Revolution players in their coaching searches.
Walter Zenga blazed the trail, guiding Steaua Bucharest to the Romanian title in 2005. The next year, Zenga coached Red Star Belgrade to the Serbia championship.
Last year, three former Revolution players -- Leonel Alvarez, Chiquinho Conde and Mauricio Wright -- coached championship teams in their home countries:
-- Alvarez (Deportivo Independiente Medellin) performed for the Revolution from 1999-2001;
-- Conde, who scored six goals in 17 Revolution appearances in 1997, took over Ferroviario with 13 games remaining in the season and guided it to both the Mozambique cup and league titles;
-- Wright, a Revolution defender in 2000-01, led Brujas FC to the Costa Rica championship.

Realce para a publicação da UEFA dedicada aos treinadores e referente ao mês de Fevereiro 2010, que coloca na sua capa, Carlos Queiroz, em acção de treino com Cristiano Ronaldo.