Costinha rips up Dynamo Moscow contract
Portuguese international midfielder Costinha, who has been dropped from Dynamo Moscow's first team for indiscipline, said he had ripped up his contract with the Russian team.
The 31-year-old, who since his spat with Dynamo coach Yuri Semin has been training with mid-table Portuguese side Belenenses, believes he can still win the race to get fully fit for World Cup selection.
"The situation has become unsustainable. Everything they have done to me during these past four months is not right for a player as the World Cup approaches," he told a news conference in Lisbon.
"I have never taken part in a World Cup and I would like to be there. If the World Cup was tomorrow, it would be impossible to be in shape and I would be the first to reject a call.
"But there is still one month to go and I can still work hard."
Costinha played a key role in Portugal's Euro 2004 campaign, having taken part in all of the squad's matches and helping them reach the final which the hosts lost to Greece.
He last played for Portugal in March during the team's 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia in a friendly.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is scheduled to name his World Cup squad on May 15. The country kicks off its campaign against former African colony Angola on June 11.
Costinha signed with Dynamo Moscow from Porto in May 2005 for five years for four million euros (five million dollars).
According to earlier reports in the Portuguese press he clashed with Semin at a club training camp in Israel in February by refusing to obey orders.
The player denied Spanish press reports that he had reached an agreement to play for Atletico Madrid, but said he would welcome a move to the Spanish side.
"If they are interested in me I am delighted as it is a great club. But there is a big difference between showing interest and signing a contract with them," he said.
AFP
