Ricardo says “it was all in their eyes”

PORTUGAL goalkeeper Ricardo claimed he could tell which way the England players would shoot during the World Cup quarter-final penalty shoot-out by looking in their eyes.

Ricardo saved penalties from Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher and got a hand to Owen Hargreaves’ successful kick as the Portuguese won 3-1.

“I could see in their eyes which post they were looking at,” said Ricardo, who also foiled England in the quarter-final shoot-out of Euro 2004, as well as converting a spot-kick in that match.

“Obviously you know a little bit about the players who can take penalties from the videos and games you have watched, but it’s that special moment when you know.”

“[Luis] Figo told me to save two penalties, so I saved three — and afterwards I told him ‘two were for you and one was for me’.”

Ricardo was listed as the sixth man to take a penalty if the match had stayed deadlocked.