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Portugal teammate: Ronaldo is ‘100 percent fit to play’ against U.S.

Cristiano-Ronaldo-sad-walk-AFP

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By RYAN TOLMICH

The game of “is he or isn’t he” around Cristiano Ronaldo’s fitness continues, with another teammate of his claiming the striker is “100 percent fit.”

Ronaldo reportedly left training early on Wednesday with his knee iced and the Real Madrid forward has been plagued by injury worries throughout his time in Brazil. Some reports even say his career could be in danger if he decides to keep playing through this World Cup.

However, according to Portugal goalkeeper Beto, the 29-year-old star is “sick of reading things about him that are not true” as Ronaldo is fully expected to feature in Portugal’s clash with the U.S. Men’s National Team Sunday.

“Cristiano is 100 percent fit to play. Every match, if he starts to play, it is because he is fit to play, he’s ready to play,” Beto said. “He loves football but his body is the most important thing for him … so if he starts a match he is ready, he is fit, so I don’t think that is a problem.”

Ronaldo has been dealing with tendonitis in his knee for the past few weeks and the Portuguese star put in an uncharacteristically lackluster performance in Portugal’s 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Germany.

However, Beto is fully confident in Ronaldo’s fitness, as well as his side’s ability to keep their World Cup hopes alive this weekend against the U.S.

“The best version of Portugal can beat United States,” Beto said. “We respect the United States of America. It is a very good team. They grew up the last years and so we got to respect them. But we believe in ourselves.”

What do you think of Beto’s comments? What do you expect from Ronaldo in this weekend’s clash with the U.S.?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. CR he is fit to play against US ,but don’t put over pressure on him.use nani and potisga for long run and cross passes

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  2. I think the weather will play a huge role in the outcome of this match. The conditions will be worse than in Natal. It will definitely be a case where picking your spots to attack/counter will be key.

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  3. After a long season and almost no break no player is 100% fit, if they said he’s for sure going to play and left it at that I’d think less of it. Me thinks they doth protest too much.

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  4. Ronaldo at 100%? Who is he trying to kid? If he plays, his best chance to do damage is probably early on, first 20-30 minutes. Sure, he can have moments of brilliance anytime but not too likely due to the circumstances and conditions in manaus. The longer the game goes, less effective he and the Portuguese side will be in that tremendous heat, I think the U.S. is a fitter team than Portugal and can win this game, especially if it is 0-0 with 20 minutes to go. An early goal from the USA would be great as well.

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  5. I hope CR7 plays. He is clearly hobbled and his presence seems to wrong foot the rest of his team. The smart thing to do for Portugal would be to bench CR7 and anybody else that is not 100% fit and hope that the balance of his players have the quality to beat the USA. I hope Portugal does not do that.

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    • Julian Green can go up and ask him for an autograph before the game and then kick him in the knee. Suddenly the inclusion of a 12 year old makes total sense.

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      • If the US beats Portugal and Germany beats Ghana, then I predict that Green starts against Germany.

  6. According to the ancient economic parable they only make wine in Portugal and cloth in England. CR7 is sending the whine, so won’t someone in the Anglosphere send him some cloth to make him a pair of shorts that fits?

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  7. hahahahah riiiiiiiighttttt. that’s why his doctor is going to quit if he plays…

    honestly, i get why he wants to play. but he is sacrificing his career. his teammates and coach, with comments like this, are being selfish. he could end up with a career ending injury and then they don’t have him for the Euros. also, i can only imagine what Real Madrid is thinking…

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  8. I’m not buying it. This guy’s throwing off a lot of smoke for there not to be a fire. Why does he have to convince us that Ronaldo is super fit? Sounds like a lot of posturing on CR7’s behalf.

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    • This whole thing is a big misunderstanding. As a history lesson for you n00bs, the real “Ronaldo” actually won a World Cup, and he was simply insisting that he is “100% FAT” which is 110% correct.

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  9. I understand the interest in this guy, but we should be ready for whoever. Prepare for a Ronaldo, and you can beat a Nani.

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    • if (as others have suggested) fabian’s move to RB was due to ronaldo, does that mean we move him back to LB to defend nani, and have chandler at RB? that would be one reason it would matter.

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      • I see that, but I think (for other reasons stated in my oddball comment below… Jeesus Ives, can we get an edit feature? Please?) FabJ stays out right in either case. On top of the reasons stated in my (drunken) oddball comment below, FabJ could be even *more* dangerous on the right IF Ronnie doesn’t play (though I think he will). I think Beaz can do just fine against Nani, who I see as less of a threat than Atsu.

    • are teams required to put out lineups at the same time? if we can’t wait until after we see portugal’s lineup, i wonder if we just play chandler instead of beasley, and switch him and fabian if ronaldo doesn’t play.

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      • i’ve always wondered this. I’ve also always wondered why some countries (mexico) put it out the day before. Just gives the opposition a little edge.

      • Fair question. Chandler could work. But I would not start him, because (and Ives has stated as much on the podcast) TC tires and commits the resulting mental/poor effort errors late in games. At the same time, TC is, imho, a better attacker than defender at this level. So, if we see TC, it’s after the 60-70 mark as a spark off the bench. This also gives Beaz some peace of mind, let’s him go balls out on the wing for the first 60.

      • Lol… so, uh, I’m drunk after the England – Uruguay game and responded to the wrong comment. But yeah, that too.

      • Drunk or not, this was an astute point: “This also gives Beaz some peace of mind, letโ€™s him go balls out on the wing for the first 60.”

  10. ives (or ryan, i guess),

    y’all should just have a running commentary on this from now until sunday. then you won’t need all these separate posts.

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    • I would love that and lets me honest so would Ronaldo.

      He would wonder why we don’t have a running commentary on his life already.

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  11. โ€œThe best version of Portugal can beat United States,โ€ Beto said.

    Well, CR7 isn’t 100%, Pepe is out with a red card and Coentrao and Almeida are both out injured….I am hopeful we won’t see the best of Portugal.

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    • Bingo

      The way he played last match he should just state he is injured and use that as the excuse because he was awful.

      USA’s got this!

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      • What exactly does he think that ice pack and 1.25 miles of ace bandage is going to do? Is he walking to the locker room for his leeching?

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