Advertisement

Ailing Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out of Portugal’s World Cup playoff series

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the planet’s most expensive soccer player and the reigning FIFA world player of the year, today was ruled out of Portugal’s decisive World Cup playoff series against Bosnia-Herzegovina, the winner of which will qualify for South Africa 2010.

‘After clinical evaluation, it was concluded that the player does not met the physical conditions to join the national squad training for the matches,’ the Portuguese soccer federation announced.

Advertisement

Ronaldo, who was acquired by Real Madrid from Manchester United for a world-record $132 million in June, injured his ankle in a European Champions League match against Olympique Marseille on Sept. 30 when he was fouled by Marseille’s Souleymane Diawara.

The ankle has not responded to treatment and reports have indicated that the 24-year-old star could be sidelined for as long as three months and might face further surgery on the ankle, which initially was operated on in 2008.

Portugal plays Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday in Lisbon and in a return match in Zenica on Nov. 18, with a World Cup berth on the line.

Portugal Coach Carlos Queiroz was philosophical about Ronaldo’s absence. Real Madrid had insisted the player was not fit, but Ronaldo was called up by the national team anyway.

‘The steps are simple,’ Queiroz told reporters. ‘There is a call-up, an evaluation, a decision, and then life goes on.’

Portugal is favored to reach the World Cup even without its top player.

-- Grahame L. Jones

Advertisement