Jim White

Would you miss Ronaldo?

Fri Oct 09 09:50AM

So would you miss them? Would, in your opinion, the tournament be reduced by their absence? Or are you so one-eyed in your affection for England the fewer obstacles in their way the better? The fact is, if things do not go their way over the next few days, there is a very real chance the World Cup will kick off next June without the participation of the two finest current protagonists in the world game.

While England are already there, basking in internet-only certainty, already booked on to the flight to South Africa, getting in early with their reservations to ensure Peter Crouch can sit in the seats by the emergency exits, a couple of the regulars of modern international tournaments are teetering on the lip of elimination.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal are in the most precarious position, joint third in European Group 1 with Hungary, they need to beat both the Magyars and Malta over the next week. And even then they might not make the runners-up spot, not with Sweden, the perennial qualifiers, lurking in the mix. Not that Wayne Rooney is shedding many tears.

Spurning the usual platitudes about wanting to pitch his skills against the best, the England forward revelled this week in his former colleague's misfortune. It would be great not to see the Portuguese in South Africa, he suggested, after all they had knocked England out of the last two competitions for which they had qualified. And besides he always hated that smarmy get Ronaldo, a right greedy toe-rag who never passed the ball to him when they played together at Old Trafford. Well, OK, he didn't actually say that last bit. But his grin suggested he was thinking what the rest of us have long suspected.

Meanwhile in South America the farce that is Diego Maradona's management of Argentina continues. In a magnificent rejection of any suggestion that he is a paranoid ex-coke head, Maradona this week blamed everyone else for his team's plight: his assistant, the Argentine FA, inevitably the media. He then promptly demonstrated that he knows precisely what he is doing by picking as his centre-forward Martin Palermo, a 35-year-old journeyman whose principal claim to fame is that he once missed three penalties in the same game.

With Palermo at their apex, Argentina have to beat Peru and Uruguay in this round of internationals to ensure themselves a play-off place against a team from CONCACAF. And while Peru are about as organised as Maradona's wardrobe, Diego Forlan's Uruguay are pursuing the same play-off space. Bums have never been squeakier in the country where football matters more than anything. And the bad news for all concerned with next summer's final is that, while nobody would miss Palermo, Argentina's failure would mean the absence of Lionel Messi, currently setting the turf ablaze at Barcelona.

In South Africa so much has been invested in next summer's tournament, both financially and emotionally, it is as if the entire economic and political future well-being of the nation depends on its success. To kick off without either Messi or Ronaldo, the two most visible stars of the world game, would be a bitter blow indeed. But that is the problem with competitive qualifiers. Were UEFA in charge, and able to run the tournament like the Champions League, no such issues would occur: qualifying would be a formality and places for the big boys specially reserved at the top table.

If Argentina and Portugal fail, there will be doubtless be those insisting FIFA act to ensure it doesn't happen again. Maybe, to reinforce their product, Sepp Blatter's mob should introduce a qualification system like that used on Strictly Come Dancing, in which a public vote is used to smooth over any unhappy glitches. Just as Joe Calzaghe, despite dancing like an arthritic plank strapped to concrete shoes, is rescued week after week by the nation's quick-dialling grannies, so we could all vote for who we would like to see play in the finals. That way we would certainly see Messi there. If he was required to rely on public affection, mind, Ronaldo might well be advised to book a holiday starting June 11.

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1. It is the greatest knock out competition in the World. In the past lots of Great players have missed out on tournaments, The Great Geoge Best, blessed with Irish birth ..doomed in world cups ..the list is endless for great Welsh, Scots , Irish, Romanian, Polish etc. etc.
2. Messing with the format ? reduces it to a popularity contest, if Europe voted for the countries it wanted to send to a world cup ..never mind Ronaldo ..England would never see another world cup, we sre THAT popular!
3. Portugal and Argentina are not qualifying because teams in their groups are playing better than they are ..would it be fair on these teams to send Argentina through because Messi has some seriosly good tricks and flickc, or Portugal because Ronaldo if a better than avarage free kick marksman?
I think we should leave it be.
From patrickhendry on Fri Oct 09 10:17AM
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one less diver
From j.suguturaga on Fri Oct 09 10:45AM
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The reason Ronaldo didnt pass was because he knew he could score, instead of letting Ronney miss about 10 chances before scoring.... He probably got MORE assists than Rooney anyway
From markspence03 on Fri Oct 09 10:45AM
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of course the presence of ronaldo and messi would add to the world cup. but if they dont get there, then so be it. and theres nothing wrong with the qualification system. if argentina cant even make the top 4 in south america then tough sh**. same to portugal who had a few decent teams in their group but they should be better than denmark and sweden
From bobo.spamble on Fri Oct 09 10:51AM
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I think that whether you like him or not you have to admit, that he does bring some excitement to the game. Now if they don't qualify then that is just too bad.
Qualifying should be the same as it is now, if you aren't good enough to get through the qualifying you don't deserve to be there and maybe someone new will come through and win the thing, like the USA, hehehe!
From usmcusafbiker on Fri Oct 09 10:53AM
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If a country with undoubted world class talent does not make a major tournament of course there contribution would be missed, but this happens in nearly every tournament, the last Euros was starved of Rooney and Gerrard, also the likes of George Best and Ryan Giggs have never played at that level for there country. The competition still brings up excitement and fantastic play so although these players are missed the competetion always wins.
From jameswithers2 on Fri Oct 09 10:54AM
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lets face it rules are rules if ronaldos Portugal dont make it its because they are not good enough to be there like messi and Argentina one player never mind how good they are dont make a team or a world cup better. The world cup is about the best teams being there and if they dont qualify they aren,t the best at the time.we all would like to see england thrash argentina and get revenge on ronaldos team but if they dont make it surely at this time we must be better than them has we qualified and they didn,t .
From mark322lewis on Fri Oct 09 10:56AM
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Would you miss Ronaldo?
-No!!!
From eu_schloss on Fri Oct 09 10:59AM
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Of course i want England to win the world cup but if they dont i would like a small country or a weaker tem to win i remember the likes of cameroon going far Senagal beating France tjey make headlines in the world cup not just high class overpaid over rated players
From mark322lewis on Fri Oct 09 11:00AM
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Jim White does the business again!
From david.yarwood on Fri Oct 09 11:05AM
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Ronnie is pure class, the world cup should show case the BEST players, and the Argies are struggling as well with Messi. It would be a travesty is both were not there.
From tfnholt on Fri Oct 09 11:07AM
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LETS FACE IT ANYWAY ALL THE BEST PLAYERS AT THE WORLD CUP NEVER PERFORM WELL HAS THE ALWAYS GETS MAN TO MAN MARKING WHO WAS THE BEST PLAYER AT THE LAST WORL CUP OR EVEN BEFORE THAT WHAT IT A PLAYER WHO WAS THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME NO....and if you are a football fan the reason most ppl dont like ronaldo is he is a good player.I bet you would all want him in ur club
From mark322lewis on Fri Oct 09 11:07AM
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Who wants to see England play???? We need good teams like PORTUGAL AND ARGENTINA without them the Worldcup is not the same. COME ON PORTUGAL. WE WILL BEAT AGAIN THE BRITISH.
From ruileal2006 on Fri Oct 09 11:08AM
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George Weah missed all the World cups in his prime. Cantona, Best and Meself haven't all played in the worldcup before.
From iangidigasu on Fri Oct 09 11:08AM
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Who wants to see England play???? We need good teams like PORTUGAL AND ARGENTINA without them the Worldcup is not the same. COME ON PORTUGAL. WE WILL BEAT AGAIN THE BRITISH.
From ruileal2006 on Fri Oct 09 11:08AM
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Looking at the fixture list, I would expect Portugal to qualify. They'd have to slip up badly. Mind you, if Hungary have a good game, they might force a draw. It's difficult to see Sweden winning in Denmark. Should be an interesting climax to the group anyway. As for you comment, ruileal2006, there is NO WAY Portugal would beat England. You played us the last two times when we had the worst two managers in English football history. And you relied on the cheat Ronaldo to get Rooney sent off and only got through on penalties anyway. We'd crush you now. No penalties required.
From rock_and_roll_machine on Fri Oct 09 11:19AM
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Comment 1 Patrickhendry is spot on esp England doomed with a euro vote and Donney thats another funny
From andy.sproston on Fri Oct 09 11:23AM
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@17 (and 15) not if you're not there you won't...
From icutoffmyear on Fri Oct 09 11:24AM
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Number 17, if Portugal and Argentina are so good, how come they are struggling to qualify?
From wimborne05 on Fri Oct 09 11:25AM
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omg ! i am real madrid fan but acctually you wouldnt miss portugal on the world cup because i dont care about portugal !!!!!!!! i would miss LATVIA if they dont qualy =[[[ but i believe that they qualy and beat everybody at world cup DDDDDDDDDd
From luckgarr on Fri Oct 09 11:25AM
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AS PORTUGUESE OF COURSE I WOULD MISS RONALDO. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT PORTUGAL HAVE BEEN PLAYING HORRIBLY SO FAR IN THIS QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE COACH CARLOS QUEIROZ.
EVEN IF WE QUALIFY, WE WILL HAVE TO IMPROVE A LOT TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN SOUTH AFRICA.
From vitor_bg_cruz on Fri Oct 09 11:25AM
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Without Argentina or Portugal the tournament is going run smoothly. England suffered a similar situation when Portugal denied a place for England in the last but one world cup. Football is a competetive game and only the best teams make it. Messi and Ronaldo should work hard to secure their places rather than rely on the mercy of FIFA. This is shittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.
From damike2002 on Fri Oct 09 11:31AM
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Oh Lord, that Donney prat is on here too......
From rock_and_roll_machine on Fri Oct 09 11:32AM
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Ronaldo has enough groupies to cruise in on a public vote, Jim, you know that. Personally I would love it if both Argentina and Portugal don't make it through. Though Spain and Brazil are the biggest obstacles for England, well aside from England themselves anyway. Shooting yourself in the foot is an artform perfected by the English, with years of practice.
From arun7989 on Fri Oct 09 11:32AM
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I think there'd be many a smirk on English faces if Portugal missed out, purely because Ronaldo wouldn't be able to stop crying - again. Argentina would be a massive loss and I hope they make it. IF England managed World Cup Glory, I'd like to witness us sweep aside Diego Maradonna's beloved nation along the way.
From daniel.anscombe.t21 on Fri Oct 09 11:36AM
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who cares? he is not the portugues football team. and no team has a birth right to be there. if you play well, you get there simples
From eurosportcommentator on Fri Oct 09 11:37AM
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daniel.anscombe.t21: Exactly mate. I'm confident we can beat these teams with no penalties this time. Although we have the same players, there's a new belief about them and I think that will only get stronger by next Summer. Without that belief, all the talent in the world won't win you matches and that's a main reason we have fared so badly for years. The players seem to respect and respond to Capella and he's overturned the boy's club @#$% of Sven and McClaren and picks players on form, not because he's big pals with them.
From rock_and_roll_machine on Fri Oct 09 11:51AM
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Just goes to show that one man doesn't make a team. From a viewing point of view it will be a shame not to see Messi and Ronaldo but from a justice point of view, I'm glad that Maradonna looks likely to fail after his cheating.........if they fail in the end.
From mntymnts on Fri Oct 09 11:52AM
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Would I miss Ronaldo? Even if I did, he'd still hit the deck screaming and clutching his leg!
From lawrence.dodd on Fri Oct 09 11:59AM
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I think argentina will qualify and do well next summer (not with diego in charge though) as for the portugese i wouldn't miss them being there for all there so called world class players they dive and commit sneaky fouls all over the pitch they've been @#$% without big phil scolari in charge and who would of thought that possible after the chelsea players getting him the sack last year?
As for the qualifying system there wasn't much moaning from uefa and fifa when England didn't qualify for the euro's last year so sod them.
From noggin5180 on Fri Oct 09 12:01PM
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