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Fernando Meira: “Marking Ronaldo is an impossible task”

Man Utd winger set to bamboozle adversaries at Euro 2008

In Portugal’s training session yesterday centre-back Fernando Meira faced the thankless task of marking Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Stuttgart defender saw first-hand what an almost impossible job Portugal’s adversaries face.

“Cristiano’s in a phase in which he plays on the right, on the left or in the middle, and he’s very difficult to mark and almost impossible to stop. I hope this is felt by our adversaries,” said Meira at the press conference after training.

The former Benfica centre-back enjoyed a fabulous 2006 World Cup, deputising for the injured Jorge Andrade and forming a solid partnership at the heart of the defence with Ricardo Carvalho.

However, Portugal’s embarrassment of riches in this department has seen Meira slip down the pecking order, behind Pepe and Bruno and Alves in the fight to partner the Chelsea defender.

Perhaps Meira’s best chance of forcing his way into the team will be as a holding midfielder, a role he played early in his career and in Portugal’s final qualifying match against Finland.

“I always try to give my best so that the team is as competitive as possible. If the boss decides to put me in one position or another I will always be willing to do what has to be done,” said Meira.

Huge potential

“We’ve got a squad with huge potential. Unfortunately only eleven can play. We’ve all got to understand that it’s difficult for the coach to pick the eleven and it would be even more difficult if a player got bitter because he stayed on the bench.

“As a more experienced player my mission is, if I’m not chosen initially, to make the coach’s decision as hard as possible. I try to complicate this decision in the training sessions, working hard and showing others that I am a viable option.”

Ricardo: “I’m always learning”

Another hero of Germany ’06, goalkeeper Ricardo, has seen his place come under question in the lead-up to the tournament. Many have criticised the former Sporting stopper and calling for Benfica number one, Quim, to be given the job between the posts.

Ricardo refused to be drawn into any controversial remarks, saying “I’m at an age where those kind of comments don’t bother me. We’re all here to help the Seleccao. Between the posts it’s me, Quim and Rui Patricio and nobody can be underestimated. It’s just a question of training and letting the coach decide.”

“I’ve got a lot of experience playing for Portugal but I’m always trying to learn.”


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