SPORTS SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2014 5 Portugal players to watch at World Cup LISBON: Portugal has long been admired also surpassed Real Madrid great Ferenc JOAO MOUTINHO Ronaldo. But since then Nani has faded, for producing talented players, and their Puskas’ mark of 242 goals for the Spanish Monaco midfielder Joao Moutinho and he didn’t find the net for 16 months flair has earned them the tag of “the club. keeps a low profile, but his vision, expert up to October’s qualifier against Brazilians of Europe.” passing and high work rate have made Luxembourg when he stood in for But Portugal heads to the World Cup PEPE him the focal point of Portugal’s attacking Ronaldo as team captain. still looking for its champagne moment Portugal and Brazil are bound by cen- moves. after coming up short at past tourna- turies of history, family ties and a shared Moutinho has made 66 appearances WILLIAM CARVALHO ments. The Portuguese lost in the final at language. since 2005, though in Brazil he will be Defensive midfielder William Carvalho the 2004 European Championship and in While Brazilian talent at European looking to build on his meager two-goal is regarded as one of Portugal’s promising the semifinals at the 2006 World Cup and clubs is a common sight, Portugal has tally. He produced a standout perform- newcomers. Euro 2012. turned to its one-time colony for the ance in Portugal’s semifinal match at the Carvalho was named the Portuguese Here are five players to watch: national team, too, as many Brazilian play- 2012 European Championship before league’s player of the month for three ers are entitled to dual nationality. missing the target in a penalty shootout straight months between October and CRISTIANO RONALDO Pepe is one of them, and has made 57 that gave Spain victory. December. In November, he made his first Along with Lionel Messi and Neymar, appearances since his 2007 debut. The 31- two national team appearances, coming Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world-class year-old Real Madrid defender is a main- NANI on as a substitute in a tense playoff match stars expected to light up the tournament. stay who can also add muscle to the mid- Manchester United winger Nani has against Sweden and impressing with his Since his debut at 18 in 2003, Ronaldo field. Before him on the list of Brazilian- had a miserable time over the past year composure. has grown into the Portuguese team’s born Portugal players were midfielder due to injuries and poor form. The World Like Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani, he is a dominant figure. Deco, who appeared Cup offers him the stage for a comeback. product of Sporting Lisbon’s youth acade- Now 29, he will arguably be at the peak 75 times for Portugal, starting out Nani’s peak form at his Premier League my. Carvalho, who will be 22 at the World of his international career in Brazil. under Luiz Felipe Scolari - another Brazilian club came in the 2010-11 season when his Cup, is highly regarded for his powerful Ronaldo has been in deadly form in and Portugal’s longest-serving coach, teammates voted him their player of the physique and heading skills, impressive front of goal. This season, he became between 2003 and 2008 - and Liedson, a season. Hopes were high that Portugal reading of the game, and speed at tipping Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and has striker who made 15 appearances. had discovered another Cristiano play from defense to attack. — AP US, Kinsmann prepare for difficult WCup group NEW YORK: Since returning to the World Cup in 1990 after a 40- year absence, the United States has alternated group-stage elimi- nation with advancement to the knockout round. Ghana finished off the Americans in the first round in 2006, then four years ago beat them in extra time in the round of 16. This year, the Americans open the tournament against the very same team before playing Portugal and Germany in what appears to be one of the most difficult groups. “I’m not worried at all,” United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “I’ll just take it the way it is, and we’re going to prepare the best way and we’re going to be well prepared for the World Cup. We’ll build up confidence and believe that we can get good results to get into the next round.” A former star forward from Germany who won the 1990 World Cup and the 1996 European Championship, Klinsmann moved to California with his American wife after he retired as a player in 1998. While he coached Germany to the World Cup semifinals in 2006, he long was viewed as a U.S. coach in waiting, and he took over three years ago from Bob Bradley. Klinsmann led the Americans to the title in last year’s CONCA- CAF Gold Cup and the team’s seventh straight World Cup berth, but the core of his attacking midfield is past 30 in Landon COLOGNE: In this Oct 11, 2013 file photo, Germany soccer team poses prior to the start the World Cup Group C qualify- Donovan (32) and Clint Dempsey (31), and his revamped defense ing soccer match between Germany and Ireland in Cologne, Germany. Background from left: Manuel Neuer, Per with a combination of age and experience has mixed good per- Mertesacker, Toni Kroos. Marcell Jansen, Sami Khedira and Jerome Boateng. Foreground from left: Philipp Lahm, formances with shaky ones. Thomas Mueller, Andre Schuerrle, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil. — AP “The confidence seems to be growing,” said Dempsey, who replaced Carlos Bocanegra as captain. “The quality seems to be getting better. There’s more competition for spots. They just keep Injury worries for Germany pushing us even more to get better and better.” Tim Howard returns from 2010 as the No. 1 goalkeeper and has the experience of eight seasons as a Premier League starter with Everton. Omar Gonzalez, a big defender who is Donovan’s Los Angeles Galaxy ahead of World Cup: Coach teammate, has become a regular at center back. Klinsmann must decide whether to pair him with Geoff Cameron, who plays right FRANKFURT: Despite being in charge of With many players sidelined, Loew called season because of back problems, leaving back for Stoke, or Major League Soccer players such as Matt Besler one of the top favorites at the World Cup, up four newcomers, including defender Germany’s midfield without two key play- or Clarence Goodson. Brad Evans is an option at right back; Germany coach Joachim Loew is deeply Shkodran Mustafi, who plays for Sampdoria ers. Gomez missed five months and then re- Fabian Johnson and DaMarcus Beasley are candidates on the left. worried. He is worried about the long travel and is hardly known in Germany. Loew is injured his left knee, while Klose, the veter- Beasley, like Donovan, would be appearing in his fourth and jet lag; worried that Germany’s head- unlikely to pull another surprise like that an at 35, has been set back by various World Cup. Michael Bradley, son of former coach Bob Bradley, quarters in Brazil are still far from complet- when he announces his World Cup squad, injuries. That means Germany could be has become the center of the team in a defensive midfield role. ed; worried about the different kickoff but he has said that only healthy players without its only two strikers. Still, Loew has Bradley and Dempsey sparked a return of players to MLS, with times and the heat; but most of all, worried will be invited. plenty of talent at his disposal, but he is Bradley leaving Roma for Toronto after Dempsey’s surprising about the fitness of some of his top players. “We need players who are physically fit under pressure from the public to finally decision to exit Tottenham for Seattle. “I wasn’t sure how ready I Germany has been hit by a series of seri- and who can deal with the conditions in return from a major tournament with a title. was going to be for World Cup not playing very much at Roma. ous injuries and among the victims are Brazil: the heat, long travel, unusual kickoff Germany has not won a major title That’s a big reason why I’m here,” Bradley said. He’s paired in some of the most experienced players on a times, time difference,” Loew said.That since the 1996 European Championship, deep midfield with Jermaine Jones, who left Schalke in January young side. “Three months before the means that Germany could be without and the last of its three World Cup victo- for Besiktas. Donovan and Kansas City’s Graham Zusi head the World Cup we have eight, nine players who such stars as Sami Khedira of Real Madrid, ries came in 1990.Germany played some wide midfield options, and Jozy Altidore is the leading candidate are out of rhythm, who have been injured Mario Gomez of Fiorentina, Miroslav Klose of the most entertaining football at the for the striker position in Klinsmann’s preferred 4-2-3-1, despite for a long time. I am not sure that all will be of Lazio and Ilkay Gundogan of Borussia 2010 World Cup in South Africa but lost in scoring only two goals in his first 33 appearances this year for back in time for the World Cup,” Loew said. Dortmund. the semifinals to Spain. Two years later, Sunderland. The best track to the knockout phase appears to be “That gives me headaches.