Figo isn146;t sulking, leave him be: Scolari

8220;When we talk about Figo, we talk about a man who defends his country and who does things for his country which many people would like to do. Please forget this matter, it is a matter which could disturb the atmosphere. Figo does a lot of things that people don8217;t know about.8221;

Scolari denied there was any rift between him and the experienced Real Madrid winger who criticised the decision to allow Brazilian-born Deco to play for the team last year.

8220;Before I coached the Portugal team, I said that Figo was an idol. I liked him as a player then and I like him even more as a person now.8221;

Scolari said he found an atmosphere of harmony when the team returned to the dressing room after Thursday8217;s heart-stopping win.

8220;I said at the time that I didn8217;t know anything, that I wasn8217;t worried. The atmosphere in the dressing-room afterwards was of friendship, affection, of a team. It was moving.8221;

Figo, who has frequently been substituted, appears to have been in a tetchy mood throughout the tournament. Scolari said he was merely a quiet person who did not like to show his emotions.

8220;He8217;s not someone to open up his life,8221; said Scolari. 8220;Some people react one way, others react another. His attitude in the dressing room is much stronger than you imagine.8221; Reuters

Chicken soup for the Portuguese soul

ALCOCHETE: Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has urged the jubilant Portuguese to keep their feet on the ground following their dramatic quarter-final win over England at the European Championship on Thursday.

8220;We mustn8217;t think we8217;re the best. We8217;re among the four best,8221; he said. 8220;Now the recipe is, as we say in Brazil, feet on the ground, a little bit of chicken soup.8221;

Scolari said Thursday8217;s performance had helped Portugal8217;s confidence, although he admitted some players had been frightened by the prospect of the penalty shootout. He added, 8220;We have a dream but to make it come true we first have to get past our next opponents. If you forget your first opponents, there might not be a second.8221;