No room for 'crybabies' in Portugal squad, Scolari warns

Portrait of the Portuguese coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, November 2003.

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari warned there is no room in his Euro 2004 squad for "crybabies" who refuse to play because they are injured.

"I don't want crybaby players on my team. Being on the national team means having the biggest pain in the world and still playing," he said in an interview with sports daily A Bola.

"It is like being called to go to war for your country," he added.

"No one goes to war thinking they have a little pain in their shoulder. I want warriors who grab their arms and put them on their shoulder without always complaining, saying it hurts a bit."

Scolari, who led his native Brazil to a record fifth world title in 2002, said Portugal playmakers Luis Figo and Rui Costa were good examples of players who never refuse to go out on the pitch.

Last month Scolari, who has a reputation for employing physical violence and gamesmanship, threatened to discard Cristiano Ronaldo for Euro 2004 after the Manchester United winger pulled out of training for a friendly against Sweden because of a thigh strain.

Portugal, who are in Group A in the Euro 2004 finals alongside Greece, Russia and Spain, have a 8-5-3 record under Scolari.

The Euro 2004 hosts face Lithuania on Saturday in their final friendly before the start of the three-week tournament on June 12.