Portugal has fired national soccer coach Carlos Queiroz because of the team's poor play and his suspension before the World Cup. The country's soccer federation said in a statement Thursday the dismissal comes with two years left on his contract. Portugal earned just one point from its first two 2012 European Championship qualifiers.

Greek striker Fanis Gekas ended his international career Thursday, becoming the third player to quit the national team since Fernando Santos was appointed coach. It is the latest headache for Santos following the recent international retirements of Liverpool defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Gekas' Eintracht Frankfurt teammate, striker Ioannis Amanatidis.