Portugal need Ronaldo to end goal drought

MAGALIESBURG, South Africa (AP):

THE WORLD Cup provides a global showcase for football's greatest forwards and if Cristiano Ronaldo wants to ever reach the same status as the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona he must do something he hasn't done for 16 months - score a goal for Portugal.

The tournament in South Africa needs stars like Ronaldo and Argentina's Lionel Messi to produce their skills on the sport's biggest stage, to thrill the billions of spectators watching games on television worldwide.

That means FIFA's 2008 World Player of the Year will have to break a goal drought stretching back to a friendly game in February 2009, when he scored from the penalty spot against Finland.

In competitive matches, he has not found the net for Portugal since the 2008 European Championship.

"It's not a problem," the Real Madrid player said before the tournament. "I'm saving myself for the World Cup."

Playing with style

The time to deliver on that promise has come as Portugal get ready for their June 15 opener against Ivory Coast.

Ronaldo has the ability to set alight a game, which is why Real Madrid paid Manchester United £80 million (US$118 million) for him a year ago.

The Portuguese forward's electrifying bursts of pace, his spellbinding footwork and blistering right-foot shots - which Manchester United fans nicknamed 'Ronny rockets' - have brought crowds to their feet at Old Trafford and the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Injuries, though, have unsettled Ronaldo's interna-tional career. He played in just seven of Portugal's 12 World Cup qualifying matches and in some games was still recovering from injury.

In 73 appearances since his 2003 debut, Ronaldo has scored 22 goals.

Still, Portuguese fans grumble that his inability to reproduce his club form at the international level is partly to blame for Portugal's recent below-par performances, including a 0-0 draw against tiny Cape Verde last month.

Intense need

In his last two seasons, at United and Madrid, he has scored more than 70 goals.

With winger Nani, Ronaldo's former team-mate at Man-chester United, ruled out of the World Cup due to a bruised collarbone, Portugal may need Ronaldo more than ever.

Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz has tried to ease the tension surrounding Ronaldo's goalscoring difficulties. When asked about it last week he replied, in English, "Leave them kids alone. The more you leave the players in peace the more they'll score."

While he waves away talk of a crisis, Ronaldo's recent comments and performances have betrayed the nagging pressure.

In a 3-1 win against Cameroon in an exhibition match 12 days ago, Ronaldo time and again went for goal only to see the goalkeeper produce a superb reflex save or stick out a foot to deny him, and the anguish showed on his face.