Portugal are sweating over the fitness of Cristiano Ronaldo less than two weeks before the World Cup kicks off in Brazil. The FIFA Ballon d'Or winner had some bad news about his recent aches and pains. Ronaldo has a "muscle injury on the back of his left thigh as well as left-leg patellar tendinitis," the Portuguese Football Association said in a report on his medical issues and those of stars Raul Meireles, Pepe and Beto.
Amid some heavy downpours, the four spent their time at the New York Jets' training center grinding it out on different exercises meant to get them in the best possible shape in the final sprint before the World Cup starts June 12. While Portugal have previously discussed superstar Ronaldo's thigh injury -- sustained late in the season -- it was the first time they reported patellar tendinitis.
The Portuguese have been drawn in Group G at the World Cup and will face Germany on June 16 in Salvador, the United States a week later in Manaus and then Ghana on June 26 in Brasilia. Portugal will play two friendlies while in the United States. They take on Mexico in Foxboro near Boston on Friday -- at the home of the NFL's New England Patriots. Next Tuesday they face Ireland at the Jets' MetLife Stadium -- which hosted the Super Bowl in February.
