Three and a half weeks after downloading Pokemon Go, a Toronto man claims to be the city’s first bona fide PokeMaster, catching all 142 Pokemon currently available in Canada.And, on top of earning those bragging rights, Roberto Vazquez says he lost 25 lbs in the process.“Once I went on the scale and saw it, I was in shock,” Vazquez, a professional photographer, told CTV News Channel on Thursday. “Because initially you’re playing the game, you’re running around, you’re walking a lot, you don’t really notice that you’re being very active.”His quest to catch ‘em all began on July 8th and took him across Toronto to areas he’d never seen before. He made new friends, hatched plenty of eggs and reached level 24 in the game. All while clocking more than 266 kilometres on the app.Vazquez said his motivation was rooted in nostalgia.“I just started because as a child I watched the show with my friends, played the games, and it definitely brought back good memories,” he said.Since its July release, Pokemon Go has become a global phenomenon with more than 100 million downloads worldwide. The augmented reality game has made headlines for breathing new life into the 20-year-old Japanese franchise, causing a major boom (and bust) to Nintendo Co.’s stocks, and triggering a series of player-related mishaps. Two men in California tumbled off a cliffplaying the game, and other players have quit their jobs,allegedly been shot at and slapped with parking tickets.Asked about the notorious misadventures, Vazquez said it’s important to heed the game’s warning and stay aware of your surroundings as you play.“At the end of the day, it’s still a game and you’re in real life,” he said. “You want to make sure you’re being safe with others in the area.”And aside from weight loss, the professional photographer says the game has been an eye-opening experience for his job.“For my line of work it’s amazing because I get to see new locations and utilize it for my own work,” he said.His next mission, he says, is to catch the elusive Farfetch’d, a normal- and flying-type Pokemon that resembles a duck and is currently only available in Asia.His gameplay may also be given a second wind if Niantic, the company behind Pokemon Go, decides to release its legendary Pokemon – a development the company’s founder recently alluded to at San Diego Comic Con.Vazquez isn’t the first player to report health benefits from playing Pokemon Go. A British playertold CNN he lost 28 lbs. playing the game, and a University of British Columbia professor has said the game could provide significant mental health benefits for people with depression or social anxiety.
Showing posts with label FIFA world cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FIFA world cup. Show all posts
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Scientist warns heading footballs ‘not safe for children’ as West Brom star Jeff Astle’s family meet FA to discuss his death
Heading footballs may not be safe for children because their bodies cannot yet cope with the repetitive strain, one of Britain’s leading neuroscientists has said.
It comes as the family of a former England footballer was set to meet with representatives from the FA to discuss what is being done to research and raise awareness of the issue in the game.
Jeff Astle played more than 350 games up front for West Bromwich Albion in the 1960s and ‘70s, and earlier this year a pathologist found that he died in 2002 from an “industrial disease” – brain damage clearly linked to heading a heavy ball throughout his career.
Astle’s family are now calling for a parliamentary inquiry, and US studies have suggested that heading a football 1,000 times can lead to “untreatable problems”.
Dr Michael Grey, reader in Motor Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham's School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, told Sky News that he and “many of [his] colleagues” believed it was not safe for children to head the ball.
“The reason for that is two-fold. First, the neck muscles aren't yet developed for the size of the children's head at that age.
“The other reason is that their brains are still developing so they're still in a very vulnerable period for taking a blow to thehead, and I should say these concussive events, we don't yet know if repetitive injury such as this is safe for professionals either.”
This week the FA released a set of new guidelines and rules covering concussion and head injuries in football, and produced an educational film starring current and former England players including Steven Gerrard.
The issue made headlines last season when the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was allowed to play on despite losing consciousness after being kneed in the head.
But the FA said it had no new information on the link between heading and brain damage because a the young players involved in a 10-year study, commissioned after Astle’s death, didn’t make it to a professional standard and stopped playing.
Speaking ahead of their meeting today with the FA chairman Greg Dyke and the neurosurgeon Dr Willie Stewart, Jeff’s daughter Dawn Astle told Sky: “We know what killed dad, the coroner's court said it was industrial disease: heading footballs killed dad and the Football Association just don't acknowledge it.
“We have real worries, not just for current footballers, and of course not just professionals - we're talking about amateurs as well - but about football's future, about the children in the game.
“They need to know the risks, then they can make informed choices.”
It comes as the family of a former England footballer was set to meet with representatives from the FA to discuss what is being done to research and raise awareness of the issue in the game.
Jeff Astle played more than 350 games up front for West Bromwich Albion in the 1960s and ‘70s, and earlier this year a pathologist found that he died in 2002 from an “industrial disease” – brain damage clearly linked to heading a heavy ball throughout his career.
Astle’s family are now calling for a parliamentary inquiry, and US studies have suggested that heading a football 1,000 times can lead to “untreatable problems”.
Dr Michael Grey, reader in Motor Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham's School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, told Sky News that he and “many of [his] colleagues” believed it was not safe for children to head the ball.
“The reason for that is two-fold. First, the neck muscles aren't yet developed for the size of the children's head at that age.
“The other reason is that their brains are still developing so they're still in a very vulnerable period for taking a blow to thehead, and I should say these concussive events, we don't yet know if repetitive injury such as this is safe for professionals either.”
This week the FA released a set of new guidelines and rules covering concussion and head injuries in football, and produced an educational film starring current and former England players including Steven Gerrard.
The issue made headlines last season when the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was allowed to play on despite losing consciousness after being kneed in the head.
But the FA said it had no new information on the link between heading and brain damage because a the young players involved in a 10-year study, commissioned after Astle’s death, didn’t make it to a professional standard and stopped playing.
Speaking ahead of their meeting today with the FA chairman Greg Dyke and the neurosurgeon Dr Willie Stewart, Jeff’s daughter Dawn Astle told Sky: “We know what killed dad, the coroner's court said it was industrial disease: heading footballs killed dad and the Football Association just don't acknowledge it.
“We have real worries, not just for current footballers, and of course not just professionals - we're talking about amateurs as well - but about football's future, about the children in the game.
“They need to know the risks, then they can make informed choices.”
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Twitter record smashed by Brazil v Chile World Cup match
A record 16.3 million tweets were sent during Saturday's World Cup game between Brazil and Chile, the most ever for a live event on the social network.
The game saw the World Cup hosts go through to the quarter finals after a nail-biting encounter that went to extra time, with Brazil finally winning 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.
The final moments of the match -- which saw Chile miss their final penalty -- generated 388,985 tweets a minute.
This broke a record previously set during the Super Bowl, when 382,000 tweets were sent per minute.
Unsurprisingly, Brazilian striker Neymar, who scored the team's final penalty, was the player mentioned most frequently on the site during the game.
Twitter said on Friday that more than 300 million messages had been sent about the tournament since the group stages of the football competition began, with the event "already becoming one of the most talked about events on Twitter of all time".
Before Saturday, the record for the most-commented-on match on the network was that between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, which saw 12.2 million messages sent.
The game saw the World Cup hosts go through to the quarter finals after a nail-biting encounter that went to extra time, with Brazil finally winning 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.
The final moments of the match -- which saw Chile miss their final penalty -- generated 388,985 tweets a minute.
This broke a record previously set during the Super Bowl, when 382,000 tweets were sent per minute.
Unsurprisingly, Brazilian striker Neymar, who scored the team's final penalty, was the player mentioned most frequently on the site during the game.
Twitter said on Friday that more than 300 million messages had been sent about the tournament since the group stages of the football competition began, with the event "already becoming one of the most talked about events on Twitter of all time".
Before Saturday, the record for the most-commented-on match on the network was that between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, which saw 12.2 million messages sent.
Swiss prepare for Messi test, U.S. face Belgium
Lionel Messi has been the key to Argentina's perfect start at the World Cup, scoring four of their six goals in three straight group wins, and the South Americans hope his blistering form continues when they face Switzerland in the last 16 on Tuesday.
Also battling for a place in the quarter-finals are the United States and Belgium, who arrived as one of the favorites to lift the trophy but have not yet fired on all cylinders.
Although Argentina have yet to reach the heights many expected of them in Brazil, Messi has been on a different planet, electrifying crowds and banishing memories of the goal drought he endured in South Africa four years ago.
Fellow forward Sergio Aguero is a major doubt after picking up an injury against Nigeria in their final group game, however, and should he miss out manager Alejandro Sabella may opt for the versatile Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Sabella, though, was playing his cards close to his chest on the eve of the match in Sao Paulo.
"In case Lavezzi plays he can play in two different positions," he told reporters. "But I am telling you, the line-up is not decided yet."
Switzerland hope Xherdan Shaqiri, dubbed the 'Alpine Messi' for his impish skills, will provide the key to beating Argentina for the first time.
The bustling little forward has been in top form for the Swiss, stealing the show with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Honduras that sealed their spot in the last 16.
"The midfield will feed him, and he plays really well up front," captain Gokhan Inler said of Shaqiri. "The good thing is he cannot be figured out that easily. We need to have him free."
In Salvador, the United States will look to sprint out of the blocks to unsettle slow-starting Belgium.
The Belgians ground out group wins over Algeria, Russia and South Korea but were far from impressive, failing to score in any of those games until the last 20 minutes.
Defender Thomas Vermaelen has not recovered from a hamstring injury and will miss the game while captain Vincent Kompany will undergo a late fitness test.
But coach Marc Wilmots expects playmaker Eden Hazard, another one who has yet to hit full stride, to have a big influence on the game.
"I’m sure that we’ll see a massive Hazard performance tomorrow which could prove decisive," he added.
After muscling out Portugal and Ghana for second spot behind Germany in Group G, the United States have grown in confidence and plan to go on the offensive.
"We have no fear at all," U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann said on Monday. "We feel fresh, we have recovered well after every game so far. We feel we have just started this adventure."
Klinsmann will be able to call on forward Jozy Altidore, who has recovered from a hamstring injury picked up in their group opener.
Also battling for a place in the quarter-finals are the United States and Belgium, who arrived as one of the favorites to lift the trophy but have not yet fired on all cylinders.
Although Argentina have yet to reach the heights many expected of them in Brazil, Messi has been on a different planet, electrifying crowds and banishing memories of the goal drought he endured in South Africa four years ago.
Fellow forward Sergio Aguero is a major doubt after picking up an injury against Nigeria in their final group game, however, and should he miss out manager Alejandro Sabella may opt for the versatile Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Sabella, though, was playing his cards close to his chest on the eve of the match in Sao Paulo.
"In case Lavezzi plays he can play in two different positions," he told reporters. "But I am telling you, the line-up is not decided yet."
Switzerland hope Xherdan Shaqiri, dubbed the 'Alpine Messi' for his impish skills, will provide the key to beating Argentina for the first time.
The bustling little forward has been in top form for the Swiss, stealing the show with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Honduras that sealed their spot in the last 16.
"The midfield will feed him, and he plays really well up front," captain Gokhan Inler said of Shaqiri. "The good thing is he cannot be figured out that easily. We need to have him free."
In Salvador, the United States will look to sprint out of the blocks to unsettle slow-starting Belgium.
The Belgians ground out group wins over Algeria, Russia and South Korea but were far from impressive, failing to score in any of those games until the last 20 minutes.
Defender Thomas Vermaelen has not recovered from a hamstring injury and will miss the game while captain Vincent Kompany will undergo a late fitness test.
But coach Marc Wilmots expects playmaker Eden Hazard, another one who has yet to hit full stride, to have a big influence on the game.
"I’m sure that we’ll see a massive Hazard performance tomorrow which could prove decisive," he added.
After muscling out Portugal and Ghana for second spot behind Germany in Group G, the United States have grown in confidence and plan to go on the offensive.
"We have no fear at all," U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann said on Monday. "We feel fresh, we have recovered well after every game so far. We feel we have just started this adventure."
Klinsmann will be able to call on forward Jozy Altidore, who has recovered from a hamstring injury picked up in their group opener.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Neymar doubtful for Brazil's World Cup quarter-final
When Brazil takes on Colombia in the quarter-finals at the FIFA World Cup, the home team may be without star striker Neymar.
Brazil's leading goal scorer is suffering from a thigh injury. His leg is swollen and coach Luis Felipe Scolari is preparing for the reality that Neymar won't be fit in time for Friday's match.
Neymar suffered the injury early in Brazil's match against Chile. Although he played the full match and scored the deciding penalty, Neymar was hobbled for good portions.
Neymar is tied for second in World Cup scoring with four goals.
Brazil's leading goal scorer is suffering from a thigh injury. His leg is swollen and coach Luis Felipe Scolari is preparing for the reality that Neymar won't be fit in time for Friday's match.
Neymar suffered the injury early in Brazil's match against Chile. Although he played the full match and scored the deciding penalty, Neymar was hobbled for good portions.
Neymar is tied for second in World Cup scoring with four goals.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
FIFA World Cup: Brazil 1, Chile 1 (3-2 pen)
The hosts are through to the quarter-finals, but it was far from convincing.
Brazil barely survived a difficult Round of 16 matchup with Chile on Saturday, winning 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 to advance to the quarter-final.
Neymar scored the winning goal in the shootout, and Júlio César made two stops for Brazil.
Though they’re through, the Brazilians still look problematic all over the pitch. They seemed to run out of ideas in attack after Chile’s Alexis Sánchez evened the match in the 32nd minute, cancelling out a David Luiz header in the 18th. And the defence looked very shaky yet again, which doesn’t bode well ahead of a matchup with either Uruguay or Colombia.
Normal time ended with the score at 1-1.
Mauricio Pinilla nearly won it for Chile a minute away from the shootout, ringing a shot off the bar as Brazil keeper César could only watch and hope.
Brazil barely survived a difficult Round of 16 matchup with Chile on Saturday, winning 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 to advance to the quarter-final.
Neymar scored the winning goal in the shootout, and Júlio César made two stops for Brazil.
Though they’re through, the Brazilians still look problematic all over the pitch. They seemed to run out of ideas in attack after Chile’s Alexis Sánchez evened the match in the 32nd minute, cancelling out a David Luiz header in the 18th. And the defence looked very shaky yet again, which doesn’t bode well ahead of a matchup with either Uruguay or Colombia.
Normal time ended with the score at 1-1.
Mauricio Pinilla nearly won it for Chile a minute away from the shootout, ringing a shot off the bar as Brazil keeper César could only watch and hope.
Uruguay furious with FIFA for banning star striker Suarez over World Cup biting incident
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay - Soccer-crazy Uruguayans raged Thursday at FIFA's decision to kick their star player out of the World Cup for his third biting incident, fearing it could deal a death blow to their bid to win the sport's greatest tournament.
Uruguay's soccer federation said it planned to appeal the ban, which prohibits striker Luis Suarez from all soccer activities for four months. The ban also covers Uruguay's next nine international games, which rules him out of next year's Copa America. It will likely carry over to qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.
Uruguayans of all stripes were nearly unanimous in their support of Suarez, calling the punishment excessive for what they felt was an act of immaturity.
"It feels like Uruguay has been thrown out of the World Cup," Uruguayan soccer federation president Wilmar Valdez said in Rio.
Diego Suarez, the striker's youngest brother who is also a soccer player, called the sanction an "unbelievable" decision that has saddened him.
Juan Jose Monzillo, a fruit and vegetable vendor in Uruguay's capital of Montevideo, saw conspiracy behind the decision by soccer's governing body.
"They clearly wanted to kick Suarez out of the World Cup. Uruguay is a small country that eliminated two big nations like Italy and England and it doesn't benefit FIFA to let Uruguay continue playing," said Monzillo, 48, who listened to the news about Suarez on headphones as he tended his stand.
A crowd of fans, including President Jose Mujica at one point, gathered at Montevideo's international airport Thursday night expecting Suarez to fly home. But the Uruguayan Football Federation later announced that Suarez was still in Brazil, adding that he thanked the fans but giving no explanation for why he had not left for home.
Suarez bit the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's 1-0 win in the group stage on Tuesday, but escaped unpunished in the game itself as the referee did not see the incident.
"Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field," Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said in a statement.
But Uruguayans did not buy the explanation.
"The immorality and hypocrisy of FIFA has no limits. Neither does Chiellini's inclination for being a tattle-tale and a fink!" Luis Puig, a lawmaker for Uruguay's ruling Broad Front coalition said on his Twitter account.
Suarez also got support from former Argentine star Diego Maradona, who argued that the World Cup has seen worse foul play than the bite and those incidents have gone unpunished. "This is football, this is incidental contact," he said on Venezuela's Telesur network.
"They have no common sense or a fan's sensibility," said Maradona, who at the end of the broadcast pulled on a white T-shirt with the message: "Luisito, we are with you."
This is the third time Suarez has been banned for biting an opponent, following similar incidents with Ajax in the Dutch league and Liverpool. He was given a 10-match ban by the Premier League for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April 2013.
Besides the biting incidents, Suarez has been vilified for racially abusing an opposing player and for a handball on the goal-line during an earlier World Cup quarterfinal. He also has been accused of having a penchant for diving.
But Suarez also stuns fans with moments of brilliance on the field, leaving some to compare him to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Uruguayan striker for Liverpool was last season's player of the year in England's Premier League.
Valdez, the head of Uruguay's soccer federation, said that it was Suarez who was targeted for aggression by the Italians.
"When he falls, several substitutes insult him on the ground and some members of Italy's staff even came off the bench to try to hit him," Valdez said, suggesting FIFA should investigate Italy.
Any appeal by Uruguay must first go to the FIFA appeal committee, said FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer. If rejected, Suarez and Uruguay could take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"We should withdraw from the World Cup, because what they have done is so lamentable. But at least we can go forward with dignity," said former soccer player Robert Lima, who won several Uruguayan championship with the club Penarol.
Uruguay's soccer federation said it planned to appeal the ban, which prohibits striker Luis Suarez from all soccer activities for four months. The ban also covers Uruguay's next nine international games, which rules him out of next year's Copa America. It will likely carry over to qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.
Uruguayans of all stripes were nearly unanimous in their support of Suarez, calling the punishment excessive for what they felt was an act of immaturity.
"It feels like Uruguay has been thrown out of the World Cup," Uruguayan soccer federation president Wilmar Valdez said in Rio.
Diego Suarez, the striker's youngest brother who is also a soccer player, called the sanction an "unbelievable" decision that has saddened him.
Juan Jose Monzillo, a fruit and vegetable vendor in Uruguay's capital of Montevideo, saw conspiracy behind the decision by soccer's governing body.
"They clearly wanted to kick Suarez out of the World Cup. Uruguay is a small country that eliminated two big nations like Italy and England and it doesn't benefit FIFA to let Uruguay continue playing," said Monzillo, 48, who listened to the news about Suarez on headphones as he tended his stand.
A crowd of fans, including President Jose Mujica at one point, gathered at Montevideo's international airport Thursday night expecting Suarez to fly home. But the Uruguayan Football Federation later announced that Suarez was still in Brazil, adding that he thanked the fans but giving no explanation for why he had not left for home.
Suarez bit the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's 1-0 win in the group stage on Tuesday, but escaped unpunished in the game itself as the referee did not see the incident.
"Such behaviour cannot be tolerated on any football pitch and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field," Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said in a statement.
But Uruguayans did not buy the explanation.
"The immorality and hypocrisy of FIFA has no limits. Neither does Chiellini's inclination for being a tattle-tale and a fink!" Luis Puig, a lawmaker for Uruguay's ruling Broad Front coalition said on his Twitter account.
Suarez also got support from former Argentine star Diego Maradona, who argued that the World Cup has seen worse foul play than the bite and those incidents have gone unpunished. "This is football, this is incidental contact," he said on Venezuela's Telesur network.
"They have no common sense or a fan's sensibility," said Maradona, who at the end of the broadcast pulled on a white T-shirt with the message: "Luisito, we are with you."
This is the third time Suarez has been banned for biting an opponent, following similar incidents with Ajax in the Dutch league and Liverpool. He was given a 10-match ban by the Premier League for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April 2013.
Besides the biting incidents, Suarez has been vilified for racially abusing an opposing player and for a handball on the goal-line during an earlier World Cup quarterfinal. He also has been accused of having a penchant for diving.
But Suarez also stuns fans with moments of brilliance on the field, leaving some to compare him to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Uruguayan striker for Liverpool was last season's player of the year in England's Premier League.
Valdez, the head of Uruguay's soccer federation, said that it was Suarez who was targeted for aggression by the Italians.
"When he falls, several substitutes insult him on the ground and some members of Italy's staff even came off the bench to try to hit him," Valdez said, suggesting FIFA should investigate Italy.
Any appeal by Uruguay must first go to the FIFA appeal committee, said FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer. If rejected, Suarez and Uruguay could take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"We should withdraw from the World Cup, because what they have done is so lamentable. But at least we can go forward with dignity," said former soccer player Robert Lima, who won several Uruguayan championship with the club Penarol.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Ronaldo bows out of clash of the titans
Cristiano Ronaldo came to the World Cup as part of a holy trinity of world superstars alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar but he is leaving the party early after Portugal crashed out.
In bowing out he continues the curse of the Ballon D'Or winner never picking up the World Cup the same year.
Ronaldo, who has had a quiet tournament by his own dizzying standards, finally scored his first goal on Thursday -- the winner against Ghana in Brasilia -- but it was too little too late.
Portugal -- hammered 4-0 in their opener against Germany -- needed to win handsomely and hope the result in the other Group G fixture between Germany and the United States went their way.
But in the end a 2-1 win was not enough and the two sides playing in Recife went through.
Despite at last breaking his duck in Brazil the Real Madrid star missed a succession of chances that could have given his team the sizeable win they needed to make the last 16.
Towards the end of the match he kicked the air in frustration as yet another attack foundered with his team still clinging to an unlikely dream of qualifying for the knockouts.
Ronaldo, who only last month helped his Spanish club side win a 10th Champions League trophy, cut a disconsolate figure after the game, saying his side had deserved more.
"The match today was a match we tried to win and we did win," said Ronaldo, who was named man of the match.
"We created many opportunities but we could not finish them all," said the 29-year-old, wearing strapping around his right knee and moving gingerly.
"We knew it was complicated but what's left at the end shows that it was possible considering the number of opportunities we created," he added.
"We deserved more but that's how football is. We can hold our heads up high. We tried our best but couldn't do it."
The former Manchester United player has been the focus of much attention about how fit he was with endless speculation over his left knee.
Feted by huge crowds in Brazil -- even when training -- he arrived in Brazil as the alpha male of world football after finally wresting the Ballon d'Or from the hands of his Argentine rival Messi.
But his side, ranked fourth in the world, suffered a disastrous start, demolished 4-0 by Germany in their Group G opener.
Next came a 2-2 draw against the United States, with Ronaldo providing the cross that led to the equaliser in the final seconds -- a goal that kept Portugal in the competition.
And whereas Messi and fellow Barca star Neymar have benefited from strong players around them, Ronaldo has suffered from some sub-par performances from his team-mates.
Portugal coach Paulo Bento refused to pin the blame on his star player, who helped the team reach the semi-finals of Euro 2012, for his misses.
"No, I don't think it's fair," said Bento, who prior to the finals signed an extension to his contract taking him up to 2016.
"I don't think we should now make those things individual. We made a set of mistakes in the tournament during three different matches."
Taking responsibility for the failure, Bento said the defeat to Germany had hit his side hard psychologically and left them with a mountain to climb.
He said it was not right to criticise a player who is usually so effective in front of goal for his missed chances in the Estadio Nacional.
Bento acknowledged that Ronaldo had received physical therapy in the run-up to the World Cup but said he was only called in when 100 percent fit.
In bowing out he continues the curse of the Ballon D'Or winner never picking up the World Cup the same year.
Ronaldo, who has had a quiet tournament by his own dizzying standards, finally scored his first goal on Thursday -- the winner against Ghana in Brasilia -- but it was too little too late.
Portugal -- hammered 4-0 in their opener against Germany -- needed to win handsomely and hope the result in the other Group G fixture between Germany and the United States went their way.
But in the end a 2-1 win was not enough and the two sides playing in Recife went through.
Despite at last breaking his duck in Brazil the Real Madrid star missed a succession of chances that could have given his team the sizeable win they needed to make the last 16.
Towards the end of the match he kicked the air in frustration as yet another attack foundered with his team still clinging to an unlikely dream of qualifying for the knockouts.
Ronaldo, who only last month helped his Spanish club side win a 10th Champions League trophy, cut a disconsolate figure after the game, saying his side had deserved more.
"The match today was a match we tried to win and we did win," said Ronaldo, who was named man of the match.
"We created many opportunities but we could not finish them all," said the 29-year-old, wearing strapping around his right knee and moving gingerly.
"We knew it was complicated but what's left at the end shows that it was possible considering the number of opportunities we created," he added.
"We deserved more but that's how football is. We can hold our heads up high. We tried our best but couldn't do it."
The former Manchester United player has been the focus of much attention about how fit he was with endless speculation over his left knee.
Feted by huge crowds in Brazil -- even when training -- he arrived in Brazil as the alpha male of world football after finally wresting the Ballon d'Or from the hands of his Argentine rival Messi.
But his side, ranked fourth in the world, suffered a disastrous start, demolished 4-0 by Germany in their Group G opener.
Next came a 2-2 draw against the United States, with Ronaldo providing the cross that led to the equaliser in the final seconds -- a goal that kept Portugal in the competition.
And whereas Messi and fellow Barca star Neymar have benefited from strong players around them, Ronaldo has suffered from some sub-par performances from his team-mates.
Portugal coach Paulo Bento refused to pin the blame on his star player, who helped the team reach the semi-finals of Euro 2012, for his misses.
"No, I don't think it's fair," said Bento, who prior to the finals signed an extension to his contract taking him up to 2016.
"I don't think we should now make those things individual. We made a set of mistakes in the tournament during three different matches."
Taking responsibility for the failure, Bento said the defeat to Germany had hit his side hard psychologically and left them with a mountain to climb.
He said it was not right to criticise a player who is usually so effective in front of goal for his missed chances in the Estadio Nacional.
Bento acknowledged that Ronaldo had received physical therapy in the run-up to the World Cup but said he was only called in when 100 percent fit.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Italy's Super Mario sinks England
Mario Balotelli scored the winner as Italy beat England 2-1 in their World Cup duel in the Amazon on Saturday as Costa Rica provided a major shock with an upset win over Uruguay.
AC Milan striker Balotelli nodded past former Manchester City team-mate Joe Hart on 50 minutes to decide the tense Group D encounter at Manaus's sweltering Amazonia Arena.
Italy's Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio had fired the Azzurri into a deserved lead on 35 minutes, rifling home a low shot from outside the area after a well-worked corner routine wrong-footed the English defence.
England struck back with a fine goal on the counter-attack. Raheem Sterling released Wayne Rooney down the left and the Manchester United star's cross was buried by Daniel Sturridge.
The Italian victory leaves Cesare Prandelli's side in pole qualifying position from Group D.
The only blot on a satisfying day for Italy was the absence of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was ruled out of the England match hours before kick-off with a twisted ankle.
England now face Uruguay in Sao Paulo next Thursday with the loser of that contest facing almost certain elimination.
"It's disappointing, we put so much effort into it," said England captain Steven Gerrard after.
"Italy were a very good team tonight and we fell a bit short. But we're still very much alive in this group," he added.
AC Milan striker Balotelli nodded past former Manchester City team-mate Joe Hart on 50 minutes to decide the tense Group D encounter at Manaus's sweltering Amazonia Arena.
Italy's Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio had fired the Azzurri into a deserved lead on 35 minutes, rifling home a low shot from outside the area after a well-worked corner routine wrong-footed the English defence.
England struck back with a fine goal on the counter-attack. Raheem Sterling released Wayne Rooney down the left and the Manchester United star's cross was buried by Daniel Sturridge.
The Italian victory leaves Cesare Prandelli's side in pole qualifying position from Group D.
The only blot on a satisfying day for Italy was the absence of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was ruled out of the England match hours before kick-off with a twisted ankle.
England now face Uruguay in Sao Paulo next Thursday with the loser of that contest facing almost certain elimination.
"It's disappointing, we put so much effort into it," said England captain Steven Gerrard after.
"Italy were a very good team tonight and we fell a bit short. But we're still very much alive in this group," he added.
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