Figo To Quit Portugal

[soccerchic]

10/21/2003. Real Madrid star Luis Figo has announced that he plans to abandon the Portuguese national team following Euro 2004.

The 30 year-old winger told Sport TV that he would like to win Euro 2004 but says it will be very difficult.

"We (the Portuguese national team) are not as good as Portuguese people think we are," he said. "Teams like France and Spain are better than us. I would like to win at Euro 2004 but it will be very complicated. Euro 2004 will be the last time I represent Portugal."

Figo will be 33 years old by the time the 2006 World Cup comes around. He stated that he would like to concentrate more on club football in the twilight of his career as he would like to "win more trophies."

During this interview Figo went on to defend fellow out of favour goalkeeper Vitor Baia by saying that coach Luis Scolari should call him up to the national team. "Vitor still has the quality to play at international level and should be part of the group that is selected for Euro 2004."

[Killah]

wonder how much perez paid him to make that decision :rolleyes:

[The Special One]

I think he wants to go out on a high, so if portugal win it or come close, he will have done very well and will go out a legend, but if he stays on and portugal fail to qualify for world cup 2006 or something bad happens and the team play s***e, then he will go out an asshole

basically, he wants to go out on a high and he see's portugal 2004 as the perfect chance to do so!

[SPORTINGLISBONFAN]

H told also that he wants to finish his career where it started at Sporting Lisbon

[Fins Prompte]

The Deco incident did not help at all and bascially, I think he will contonie playing only if Portugal win Euro2004. Otherwise, he will hang it up and focus on Madrid. It makes sense too. He is playing for a team that already has to travel across Europe during champions league, and to travel across europe for WC qualifiers is just too much at his age I guess. But players flip flop decisions all the time, just look at Zidane, he was going to retire after WC 2002 and you saw how quick he changed his mind.

[Killah]

Originally posted by IBES@Oct 21 2003, 02:51 PM
The Deco incident did not help at all
what deco incident ?

[SPORTINGLISBONFAN]

That has nothing to do with Deco, Figo simply tired of travelling.

We wants to settle more.

[nicodemus]

WTF

W
T
F

no wonder we do s***..teams like france anbd spain r better thne us?? WTF..we proved in the past couple years were one of the best in the world and here he goes saying s*** like that!!! :censored

i cna understand the DEco incident..but hes gotta live with it...f***!!!..this is really bad..hes r leader...whose gonna replace him?? if figo goes, i can tell u rihgt now that rui costa is ognna go..f*** f***...

what the hell..baia is the shoits now..we all saw that agiant the USA and for porto in the uefa cup...oh man..please figo..dont go..we need u...quaresma and ronaldo r still 2 young...

[roylopes]

Originally posted by killah+Oct 21 2003, 03:37 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (killah @ Oct 21 2003, 03:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-IBES@Oct 21 2003, 02:51 PM
The Deco incident did not help at all
what deco incident ? [/b][/quote]
I doubt this has anything to do with Deco......after all Eusebio is African born and Figo looks up to Eusebio. Figo wants to go out with dignity and the last thing he wants is to have the Portuguese fans blast him if Portugal do not qualify for 2006. I disagree with his decision. I feel he should play fewer games for Portugal after 2004 and allow the younger generation more experiece eg: Viana, Ronaldo etc..., but his experience would be vital if Portugal did qualify for 2006 and could only help Portugal not hinder it. No one says he has to play 90 minutes. What pisses me off is the fact that like for most players it has become about personal prizes. What happened to playing for your country. France and Spain are better....my ass> Portugal can compete with them. It could go either way but Portugal can win 2004 and should be considered a favourite. Baia is alright but he should not be the starter. Its time for the players to start playing and let Scolari make the coaching decisions.

[nicodemus]

exactly ...why the hell r we sacared of other teams when they should be scared of US!!!!...we have the best midfield in world..and here goes figo saiyng how spain and france r better what a load of b*******...wehave 2 start letting other teams being scared of us!!...and not have a negative outlook on things!! for christs sake.. :censored

[roylopes]

Originally posted by nicodemus@Oct 24 2003, 08:07 PM
exactly ...why the hell r we sacared of other teams when they should be scared of US!!!!...we have the best midfield in world..and here goes figo saiyng how spain and france r better what a load of b*******...wehave 2 start letting other teams being scared of us!!...and not have a negative outlook on things!! for christs sake.. :censored
And what has Spain won anyways. If anything they are the biggest under achievers in Europe if not the world. They have had some great players and nothing to show for it. We are not less than the Spaniards we are exactly the same both teams have achieved nothing in big games or big tourneys: well 1966!

[nicodemus]

and 3rd in euro 2000...