Portugal dropped four slots to number 11th in FIFA latest World Rankings. This marks the first time since Euro 2000 that Portugal has fallen out of the top 10. Before Euro 2000, Portugal was ranked 15th in the world. As a result of it remarkable run in Holland/Belgium, it vaulted 8 spots to 7th and thus began a steady climb to peak at number 3. The friendly draw in Birmingham was not enough to keep Turkey, Italy, and the Americans from the top ten. With no official matches lined up for the next 2 years (we're subjected to meaningless friendlies against the likes of Tunisia), Portugal may fall a few more notches untill it reaches its plateau...
After managing the national "B" side to a 1-0 victory over Alverca in a midweek friendly, Agostinho Oliveira expressed his confidence in the future of Portuguese football. "What we have here" he said "is the third wave of Portuguese footballers for the senior side." He was pleasantly surprised at the way some players adapted to new roles, considering the shortage in players from Sporting, Porto, and Boavista (due to UEFA Cup commitments)...
Portuguese Football Federation chairman Gilberto Madail will be unopposed in his bid for re-election for a four-year term which will cover hosting the 2004 European Championships.
Local press reports on Tuesday said former national coach Artur Jorge had decided to pull out of the Oct. 12 contest for Federation leadership after failing to muster a minimum 25 percent of voting intentions from member associations.
Madail, who turns 58 in December, is an economist by profession who has chaired the Federation since 1996, having previously held lesser positions and also chaired the Beira Mar club and his local soccer association.
Madail is also chairman of the Euro 2004 organizing committee, which will have to translate Portugal's undoubted enthusiasm for the game into infrastructure at a time when an economic slowdown and wide government deficit are forcing the country to tighten its belt.
Two of Portugal's leading clubs, Porto and Benfica, have already protested that they could not afford to construct showpiece stadiums without further support from national and local government.
"The road to Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup are issues which I can, with some legitimacy, seek along with other sporting bodies to bring to a satisfactory conclusion," Madail said in his manifesto.
Another challenge in Madail's extended stewardship will be to improve on a disastrous performance by Portugal in the World Cup finals in Asia.
With a squad of mature players who had won major honors playing for top European clubs, Portugal was among the pre-tournament favorites but failed to make the second round after losing to the United States and co-hosts South Korea.
Antonio Oliveira was sacked from his second stint as coach after returning from Korea and Agostinho Oliveira is currently caretaker manager.
Portugal will have the advantage of automatically qualifying for Euro 2004 as hosts and playing in front of home crowds, but have only friendlies in which to prepare.
They drew 1-1 with England earlier this month and next play Sweden in Gothenburg on October 16.