Cristiano Ronaldo has said Portugal can’t win the World Cup and to ever suggest they could was a flight of fancy.
Portugal are on the brink of a group stage exit and would have been eliminated last night but for a late equaliser in the 2-2 draw with the United States.
Paulo Bento’s side need to beat Ghana, hope Germany beat the USA in the final round of Group G fixtures and for the matches to produce a six-goal swing to tip goal difference in their favour.
AS reports Ronaldo as saying after the draw with Jurgen Klinsmann’s side that Portugal are perhaps not one of the best teams at the tournament.
“There might be several factors. It was a long season but that’s a factor everyone could claim,” Ronaldo said when asked why Portugal have struggled so far.
“It wasn’t for a lack of attitude we didn’t win. All teams are here to win and we were never favourites.
“The dream that Portugal could win the World Cup was always a fictional dream because everything is possible in football, but other teams are better and perhaps deserve it more than we do.”
Ronaldo added that he is fully fit after ending the season with a number of ailments that threatened his involvement in the tournament.
“I’m not going to justify my physical problems because I’m here to give my best, try to do better, to run,” he said.
“What I’ve had isn’t worth every day newspaper reports about my knee, tendinitis, this or that, the other.
“So I don’t want to justify it. I am here in body and soul to help the team and we don’t get to reach our goal. Let’s see what happens in the next game.”
