World Cup Preview: Group D

Portugal brings a team loaded with offensive power as well as a bag full of tricks. In qualifying, Portugal scored 35 goals and conceded only 5. They have stars all over field, including 2001 world player of the year, Luis Figo, and European top scorer, Pauleta. The most dazzling of their stars is 21 year old winger, Cristiano Ronaldo. In addition to his blistering pace, Ronaldo has great touch with both feet, enabling him to play on either side of the field. He is best known for his flashy style and astonishing dribbling skills. While he provides for plenty of excitement, critics are quick to say that his style is too ‘individualistic.’ Either way, you should cancel your lunch plans and tune in to see him play. Check out these video highlight packages of the great Figo and Ronaldo.

Iran comes in to the 2006 World Cup with their strongest team ever. Iranian soccer had its heyday between 1968 and 1976, when they lifted the Asian Cup three times. The next twenty years saw them go through a drought, before successfully qualifying for the 1998 World Cup, where they claimed their first and only world cup victory, defeating the United States 2-1. Their current team boasts the reigning Asian player of the year, Ali Karimi. He will lead a young and talented team that could produce some new stars.

On June 11th Angola will play their first ever world cup match, when they face their former colonial invaders, Portugal. It won’t be boring. The teams have met twice before in ‘friendly’ matches, with Portugal winning 6-0 in 1989 and 5-1 in a match played in Lisbon in 2001. In that game, four Angolan players were sent off before the match was abandoned with twenty minutes to play. Angolan coach Luis Oliveira Gonclaves had this to say, "One thing is playing a friendly and another is competing at the World Cup. This is the first time Angola will face Portugal officially, so I think this game will be different from the last two.'' In 2002 Senegal shocked its former colonizer, France, by defeating the defending world champions in the opening match of the world cup. Angola hopes to see history repeat itself.

*Programming Note: Soccer Mad moves to Mondays on KOOP.*

If you love soccer, or would like to learn more about it, check out Ben Gardner and Chris Gaffney on Soccer Mad, every Monday at 2:30 pm on 91.7 fm KOOP or online.

Official World Cup Site