Spain vs Portugal – World Cup 2010

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A game that brings many questions to mind, such as: Why are Spain still called “La Roja” when they play in blue? Why do Portugal have one of the ugliest shirts in international football? If Ronaldo ever becomes a Buddhist monk, will he have to change his first name? As far as the football is concerned, here are some statistics from the BBC site:

Head-to-head

- They have met 32 times in international football. Portugal have won just five matches, Spain 15 and there have been 12 draws.

- But Portugal won their last meeting 1-0, which came at the Euro 2004 group stages and eliminated Sapin from the competition.

- And Spain have only beaten Portugal once in the ten matches since 1958.

Spain

- They must make history if they are to win the World Cup, as no country has lost its first group match and gone on to lift the trophy.

- David Villa has scored six goals in six starts at the World Cup and is now the all-time top scorer for Spain at the tournament.

- Spain became the first team since Hungary in 1986 not to collect a single card in the group stages of a World Cup tournament. In fact, they have not had a player cautioned in their last six matches since Sergio Ramos was booked against France on 3 March.

Portugal

- Portugal have conceded just one goal in their last 12 internationals.

- Should they get through against Spain, they will set a new unbeaten record for Portugal of 20 games in all competitions.

- They have failed to score in their last two World Cup knockout matches – 0-0 (aet) against England in the quarter-final and a 1-0 defeat to France in the semi-final in 2006.

from BBC

Strange Random Portugal Quote:

Portugal is a high hill with a white watch tower on it flying signal flags. It is apparently inhabited by one man who lives in a long row of yellow houses with red roofs, and populated by sheep who do grand acts of balancing on the side of the hill – Richard H. Davis

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