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Top Row, Left to Right:
Castro, RC Deportivo, Spain; Rolando, FC Porto, Portugal; Pepe, Real Madrid, Spain; Beto, Leixoes, Portugal;Ronaldo, Real Madrid, Spain; Eduardo, SC Braga, Portugal; Edinho, AEK Athens FC, Greece; Daniel Fernandes,VFL Bochum, Germany; Hugo Almeida, Werder Bremen, Germany; Raul Meireles, FC Porto, Portugal; Eliseu,Malaga, Spain; Moreira, Benfica, Portugal; Bruno Alves, FC Porto, Portugal; Ricardo Carvalho, Chelsea FC, England;Tiago, Juventus FC, Italy; Duda, Malaga CF, Spain
Bottom Row, Left to Right:
Boa Morte, West Ham United FC, England; Nani, Manchester United, England; Bosingwa, Chelsea FC, England; Miguel, Valencia FC, Spain; Deco, Chelsea FC, England; Dan Gaspar, SN correspondent and Men's Soccer Coach, University of Hartford; Simao, Atletico Madrid, Spain; Goncalo Brandao, AC Siena, Italy; Moutinho, Sporting, Portugal.
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Portugal National Team World Cup Roster Announced and Player Gala
On May 10th, 2010 Carlos Queiroz announced his selection of 24 players who will have the honor of representing the Portugal National Team and defend the Portuguese national pride.
It was a gala event, not unlike a Hollywood red carpet affair. It was a attended by the Who’s Who of Portugal. Pedro Pinot from CNN was the host, and he did a magnificent job. The honored guests were: Fernando Couto and Carla Couto; former Portugal National Team captains as well as Joao Pinto; Eusebio, Portugal’s legendary player and Portugal National Team Ambassador; Monica Jorge, Women’s National Team Head Coach; Portugal Football Federation President, administrators and Men’s National Team staff; various politicians, and of course there was an incredible number of TV and radio reporters as well as journalists. This event was televised live for an hour. The broadcast covered the history of the National Team, highlights of the qualification games, interviews as well as action highlights of the players that were selected... It was a fantastic production.
Portugal soccer fans were all sitting on their edge of the seats and holding their collective breath in great anticipation of Carlos Queiroz's final selection.
Professor Queiroz and his staff spent many hours in tracking players, both attending live matches and evaluating game footage. It was a very tedious process that consumed a great deal of time and effort, as expected. The staff established rigorous criteria and logged the data collected. The selections were based exclusively on the player’s merit. Professor Carlos Queiroz signed off on the official player roster document with his lucky pen and handed it to the Portuguese Football Federation Director of Sports, Carlos Godinho.
Unlike the typical soccer fanatic who sees a match once and is a loyal supporter of their club. Naturally, these influences affect the fans perspective.
When the team was announced there was an immediate buzz in favor or against. The debates were and continue to be intense. It is impossible to keep everyone happy, and there will always be disappointment at certain players being left home. But there were some far more contentious decisions made by the managers of other countries. Diego Maradona has left the Inter Milan captain, Javier Zanetti, at home; Marcello Lippi has ignored Luca Toni; and the organizers of the World Cup in South Africa expressed their disappointment that Brazilian Head Coach Dunga excluded Ronaldinho from his squad. Even the US squad couldn't escape controversy when Bob Bradley told Charlie Davies that would be left home after receiving a letter from Sochaux indicating that the US ace would not be fit, and that they would not medically clear him before the World Cup.
After the ceremonies we had a wonderful dinner. When we arrived at the restaurant it was impossible not to sense some disappointment as well as agreement with the players selected from all that were in the restaurant. We sat, raised our glasses and toasted to “Go Work”.
It was also clear, Carlos Queiroz, the wait staff and patrons at the restaurant, and I all want the same thing -- to win the World Cup.
The next day there was a live broadcast on Sport TV reviewing the player selection. At the end of the broadcast they shared the final results of those who were in favor and in disagreement with the selection. A majority seemed to be not in favor. I cannot think of a better way to motivate the Portuguese National Team players.
Despite the opinions, Joao Pinto former Portugal National Team player said during his TV interview, “From this moment on, these players selected are my National Team”.
Dan Gaspar - Portugal National WORLD CUP Coaching Staff
Men's Soccer Coach - The University of Hartford
Star Goalkeeper Academy
Connecticut Soccer School
Special Report to SN
Player Roster Released:
| Name |
Club |
Position |
Country |
| Eduardo |
Sporting Braga |
Goalkeeper |
Portugal |
| Beto |
FC Porto |
GoalKeeper |
Portugal |
| Daniel Fernandes |
Iraklis |
Goalkeeper |
Greece |
| Paulo Ferreira |
Chelsea |
Defender |
England |
| Miguel |
Valencia |
Defender |
Spain |
| Rolando |
FC Porto |
Defender |
Portugal |
| Ricardo Carvalho |
Chelsea |
Defender |
England |
| Bruno Alves |
FC Porto |
Defender |
Portugal |
| Ricardo Costa |
Lille |
Defender |
France |
| Duda |
Malaga |
Defender |
Portugal |
| Fabio Coentrao |
SL Benfica |
Defender |
Portugal |
| Pepe |
Real Madrid |
Mid Fielder |
Spain |
| Pedro Medes |
Sporting Lisbon |
Mid Fielder |
Portugal |
| Miguel Veloso |
Sporting Lisbon |
Mid Fielder |
Portugal |
| Raul Meireles |
FC Porto |
Mid Fielder |
Portugal |
| Tiago |
Atletico Madrid |
Mid Fielder |
Portugal |
| Deco |
Chelsea |
Mid Fielder |
England |
| Simao |
Atletico Madrid |
Mid Fielder |
Spain |
| Danny |
Zenit |
Mid Fielder |
Russia |
| Nani |
Manchester United |
Mid Fielder |
England |
| Cristiano Ronaldo |
Real Madrid |
Forward |
Spain |
| Liedson |
Sporting Lisbon |
Forward |
Spain |
| Hugo Almeida |
W. Brennen |
Forward |
Germany |
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SN World Cup correspondent Dan Gaspar, University of Hartford’s Men’s Soccer Coach, has joined the Portuguese Football Federation’s national team staff in preparation for the World Cup. 
