（7月9日, 2006）
斯科拉里带领葡萄牙队参加本届杯赛，希望能够改写历史，自己成为世界上唯一的一名带领不同球队获得世界杯冠军的教练，但是这个愿望没能实现，不过，他还是创造了葡萄牙队近40年的最好成绩。
由于葡萄牙队没有巴西足球的优良传统和底蕴深度，斯科拉里没能把葡萄牙队打造成世界冠军。
他说：“带领葡萄牙队进入半决赛甚至要比带领巴西队进入决赛都要难，因为，葡萄牙只有1000万人，而巴西却有1亿8千万人。”
在过去的3年里，在巴西人的调教下，葡萄牙人在细腻技术的基础上，又增添了一些坚硬和刚强的作风。
但是，葡萄牙缺少一位世界级的射手，这是他们在屡屡打出精妙配合的情况下，却无法得分的原因。
菲戈说：“我们缺乏的是一种将机会转化为进球的能力。”
但是葡萄牙队中场仍然有c罗纳尔多这样的天才球星，葡萄牙队会继续前往2008年欧锦赛的征程。
问题的关键是，斯科拉里是否还会继续带领球队，解决问题。
链接：http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-wcup-portugalwrapup&prov=ap&type=lgns
原文：Scolari's Portugal falls just short of the big time
By BARRY HATTON, Associated Press Writer
July 9, 2006
STUTTGART, Germany (AP) -- Capturing soccer's biggest prize for a talented but small soccer nation was beyond even The Drill Sergeant's reach.
Luiz Felipe Scolari came to Germany looking for a place in the record books as the only coach to win the World Cup with different countries. Scolari guided his native Brazil, the world's most powerful soccer nation, to its record fifth title four years ago.
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Portugal doesn't have Brazil's pedigree nor its depth. For all his motivational skills, Scolari simply didn't have the material to mold a champion, although in finishing fourth he turned Portugal into a legitimate challenger.
"It was more difficult to reach a semifinal with Portugal than the final with Brazil, because there are only 10 million people in Portugal compared to 180 million in Brazil," Scolari said.
Veteran midfielder Costinha acknowledged that Portugal is not one of the sport's heavyweights.
"We're still one of European soccer's poor cousins," he said.
And the team is losing two of its stars: Captain Luis Figo and all-time leading goalscorer Pauleta announced their retirement from international soccer after Portugal lost to Germany 3-1 in Saturday's third-place game.
Despite the limitations, Scolari's Portugal made its longest run in 40 years. Finishing fourth was its best showing since Eusebio's 1966 team came in third.
With Scolari at the helm for the past three years, the Portuguese have chalked up their best series of results.
Portugal's 1-0 loss to France in the semifinals snapped a 19-game unbeaten streak dating to early last year and was its first competitive loss since it fell by the same margin to Greece in the final of the 2004 European Championship.
And Portugal's unbeaten run in its first five games in Germany pushed Scolari to 12 straight World Cup games without a loss.
"Nobody expected us to come this far," Scolari said. "We were a longshot."
The achievement was largely due to Scolari's influence.
Portugal before Scolari was a talented and entertaining team, but one that remained on the fringes of world soccer's aristocracy. In its only other World Cup appearances, in 1986 and 2002, it didn't advance past the group phase.
Under the Brazilian, nicknamed Big Phil and The Drill Sergeant for his uncompromising approach, the Portuguese gained confidence and an overriding hunger for victory.
Scolari added some steel to Portugal's renowned elegance. Two players were sent off during a nasty scrap with the Dutch in the second round, and Portugal held its nerve to overcome England in a penalty-kick shootout.
There is also a sense that Scolari has done as much as he can with the pool of talent at his disposal. The 1-0 semifinal defeat against France exposed shortcomings that have long denied the Portuguese a major trophy.
Once again, Portugal lacked a world-class striker that successful teams need.
The Portuguese were the lowest-scoring of the four World Cup semifinalists. Five of its seven strikes at the tournament came from midfielders. No goal was memorable.
Center forward Pauleta, who has 47 goals in 88 international matches, found the net just once in Germany. It was his only goal over 12 games in his last two international tournaments, including Portugal's Euro 2004 run. And it will be his last -- Pauleta has announced his retirement after the Germany loss.
"What we lacked was the ability to take our chances in front of the goal," Figo said.
One problem for Portugal is that most strikers in its domestic league are foreigners, many Brazilian.
There are skilled players left, though, who will carry the torch into the 2008 European Championship. Midfield mastermind Deco, winger Cristiano Ronaldo, and Maniche and Tiago play at some of Europe's biggest clubs and in Germany gained the experience to move up into leadership roles.
The question is whether Scolari will be around to see it all unfold.
Updated on Sunday, Jul 9, 2006 11:24 am EDT
作者-岳东兴-北京第二外国语学院-英语系
责编：卢爽