Portugal around the corner

When you're abroad, a good way to find a bar of your preference is by looking at the outdoor beer sign: Guiness stands for irish bar, Foster's for australian, Budwiser for american (yes, it's a "beer"), Corona for Mexican, Franziskaner for German... and if you want a Portuguese bar, well, just follow the red light ;-)

Today I found this one by chance... I think it's a good sign for today. It's the FIFA World Cup 2010 stage draw... and these were the results for Portugal:

Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast and... Portugal!

It's going to be a crazy World Cup! Let the party begin with samba and Super Bock ;-)

Road to World Cup 2010

Another great football night and Portugal is qualified for the final stage for next year's FIFA World Cup.

But tonight I decided to watch another game, France vs Ireland, on an irish bar! The ambiance as great, everyone glued to the giant screens, Guiness beer for almost everyone (the french supporters were more into Cokes and french beers)... but unfortunately Ireland didn't qualify! Thanks to an "illegal" goal, scored with the help... of a hand! :-P

Anyway, the important is Portugal will be in South Africa next year! We are going to have many soccer nights... and afternoons! A good excuse to gather people around a table... a full table ;-)

World Cup so far away...

This was a football weekend, with many teams playing in order to get qualified for next year's FIFA World Cup.
As I couldn't watch the game on the stadium, it was my "obligation" as a portuguese supporter to watch on TV and... to prepare the usual dinner that goes with it! eheh

Portugal played against Sweeden and it was very very important to win the match, so we could still hope to qualify for the World Cup.

Besides this Portugal-Sweden match, there were other matches being played at the same time. So, in order to make this an international competition, I invited my friends Barry and Stefan in order to represent Ireland and Germany respectively.

With the help of a tv screen and a computer we were able to watch several matches simultaneously!
We were ready to, as long as we had snacks and drinks on the table!

Unfortunately the result of the portuguese match was a deceiving 0-0. Luckily we had our baby bottles to cheers us up! eheheheh

The qualification is now more more difficult... but anything's possible!
The most important is to keep playing... so I can have this "excuses" to watch and celebrate these matches with friends! eheheh

Cheers!

Go Braga!

I really have to find an easier way to update this blog more often, before becoming an old relic in a museum! eheh

Last Thursday there was a special football match here in Paris, because there was a portuguese team coming to town (yes, like the Santa Claus song! eheh).
Sporting Clube de Braga played against Paris Saint German for the UEFA Cup, and I was my "obligation" to support the Braga team! eheheh
Although I am an FC Porto supporter, I had to be a good son and watch the match live! ;-) Braga is a city north from Porto, and it's my second favourite city in Portugal (you can imagine which is the first one!) eheheh
I won't get carried away and start to talk about Braga, or else this post will never end. Plus, it's my obligation to talk first about my favourite portuguese city!! eheh

As you can imagine, at the office I work with PSG supporters, so it was my double obligation to watch this match. So I took my FC Porto scarf (my colors first), plus another red scarf (Braga's main color) and along with a couple of friends went to Parc des Princes (PSG's stadium) to decide which team was the best! eheh

Unfortunately the final result was a modest 0-0... no one had the pleasure to shout "Goalllll"!
Oh well... next week will be the second leg of this match, now at Braga's stadium. I won't be there, but will another FF night at home (yes... Football and Food! eheh)

Here are some photos for the football fans: PSG x Braga photos

Go Braga! :-P

Feel the rush!

And it's the kickoff! The Euro 2008 starts today, and I couldn't let pass the occasion without wishing good luck to my favourite team (hmmm... which team?) eheheh

During the next 3 weeks all football fans will breath, sweat and cry (well, only for those sick fans!)
Unfortunately I didn't choose the best time to go on vacation (almost one week away), but no matter where I'm going, my support will always be heard and feel! :)

And it's not so bad to be in Paris during an international football competition, after all the biggest foreign community here is portuguese! ;)

Now let's feel the rush! Go Portugal! Força!

Get ready for the Euro 2008!

We're almost one week away from the Euro 2008 start! Go Portugal! Hooray!

The football fever is already in the air. Everyone discusses about their favorites, their hopes, planning when and where to watch the games.

I still have good memories from last Euro Cup, in 2004. Well... good memories regarding friends, celebrations and all the joy. Unfortunately I can't say the same regarding the result from the final game, againt Greece.
Even if I wanted to forget that "small detail", now it's almost impossible. Most of the guys I work with are constantly picking up that subject! Poor me! eheheh

But in revenge, all city of Paris is dressed in red and green, like the portuguese flag! eheh And I have to thank the americans! :P Why? Because Nike is the equipment supplier for many teams in Europe, and all Nike stores are "dressed up" accordingly. But France still has Adidas has its supplier... until 2011. Until then, Nike uses their most popular teams for marketing... like Netherlands, Russia and Portugal (of course!)

I'll let you see by yourselves. It feels like home ;)

Congratulations FC Porto!

We are the tri-champions! :P Last night the FC Porto soccer team won the portuguese championship. The third consecutive championship! Hooray! :)
Plus, FC Porto is the first champion in Europe for this season! Hooray hooray! :)

Even if I wasn't there, at the world's most beautiful city of Porto (or Oporto if you prefer), I was able to watch the decisive match on TV. And with good soccer matches I always have good snacks to follow up with! :P
A crowded stadium, painted in blue and white, where everyone was expecting a good game, which was going to decide the winner of the portuguese championship.

The final result of 6-0 was the "cherry on the top" of a great night. I only missed the party after the match around the stadium and all over Porto city.

There are still 5 matches until the end of the season, and we're still on the Portuguese Cup... but unfortunately we were knocked out from the Champions League. Better luck next year!

Congratulations FC Porto... and we'll see each other again soon!

Coming up next: Euro Cup 2008! Go Portugal! ;)

Sport is bad for health

I disagree with those who say sport is recommended for our health. But I think I've just lost aeound 5 years of my life while watching the football match beetween FC Porto and FC Schalke 04, for the UEFA Champions League.

Of course I was supporting my hometown team, FC Porto... and it was very very long and "painful" match, which was decided on penalties shoot-out!

I shouted, I jumped, I cursed, I yelled... but my long-distance support was not enough to help! But I think my neighbours didn't enjoy "the noise"! eheheh

FC Porto played well, but tonight wasn't our lucky night... but it was insane the opportunities we've missed (yes, I say we because I always think of myself as the 12th player! eheh)

Now it's to sleep... I hope I won't have more nightmares!

Força Porto!