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Showing posts from June, 2022

'We only knew when UEFA put it on social media!' - Inside Portugal's crazy qualification for the Women's Euros

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The Seleccao found out just 65 days before the start of the tournament in England that they'd be taking Russia's place "Did you see that you’re going to the Euros?" That Andreia Jacinto’s mother saw the confirmation of Portugal’s participation in the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros before the midfielder sums up the chaos surrounding the Seleccao's qualification. Moments later, the 19-year-old was celebrating with friends having seen the announcement herself on television. After not thinking about the tournament for months, following defeat to Russia in the play-offs over a year prior, suddenly Portugal had just 65 days to prepare for what promises to be the biggest Women’s Euros yet. It was April 2021 when Francisco Neto’s side were beaten over two legs by just a single goal, a result that had every player in tears. “We knew that we could have done better in that play-off,” Jacinto tells  GOAL . “Our goal was so close and we couldn't reach it. It was devastating.” As

Will Ronaldo leave Man Utd for Sporting return? Door left open for emotional homecoming by club director

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Hugo Viana is ruling nothing out when it comes to a potentially stunning coup for the Portuguese outfit, but he admits a deal in 2022 is unlikely Cristiano Ronaldo made a return to his spiritual home in rejoining Manchester United from Juventus in the summer of 2021, but a door is being left open for him to head back to his roots at Sporting. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner took his first tentative steps down a road to greatness when bursting onto the senior stage in Lisbon, with his undoubted potential spotted by Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2003. After spending the best part of 20 years cementing a legacy as one of the finest talents to have ever played the game, speculation is building once again regarding a potential retracing of steps to where it all began. Will Ronaldo return to Sporting? Questions have been asked of how long Ronaldo will be sticking around at Old Trafford, with United enduring a testing 2021-22 campaign, but he does still have 12 months left to run on his contract