Eriksson vows to take revenge on Portugal over 2006 World Cup, 2004 Euro exit

Cape Town, June 5(ANI): Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has vowed to take revenge on the Portugal team and their captain Cristiano Ronaldo over issues which brought the curtain down on his five-year reign.

Eriksson admitted that he is still haunted by the sight of Ronaldo winking to his bench after helping to get Wayne Rooney sent off in England's quarterfinal exit at 2006 World Cup in Germany.

"We should have won. We were the better team, even with 10 men, but I don't just owe Ronaldo and Portugal one for that," The Sun quoted Eriksson, as saying.

"I also owe them one for knocking us out of the Euros two years earlier," he added.

Ronaldo also scored in the shootout when Portugal knocked Eriksson's team out of the 2004 European Championships.

"We should have won that match as well, but the pain of going out of that tournament was nothing to how it felt in Germany. When we lost in 2006, I knew it would be my last game in charge. I felt so sick and disappointed I could not really say anything to the players," Eriksson said.

"I just said something like 'We were unlucky to lose. You did yourselves proud. Thanks for all the hard work you've put in, and I hope our paths cross again soon'. I knew it was the end for me as far as England was concerned, and I suspect some of my players did too," he added.

The 62-year-old is currently coaching Ivory Coast, who will play Portugal in the group stages of the World Cup. (ANI)