Cristiano Ronaldo believes Wayne Rooney’s comments about Portugal not qualifying for the World Cup were in jest.

Rooney had said “it would be nice” if Portugal did not qualify for the competition in South Africa next year, as England have been knocked out of their last two major tournaments by Ronaldo’s side.

But Rooney’s former Manchester United team-mate thinks the comments were not meant to be taken seriously.

“I am sure he was joking,” said the Portuguese forward.

“He is a good friend of mine and he knows Portugal are a top team. He played a few times against us and never won, but I am sure he was joking as he has friends here (in the squad).”

Portugal are struggling in third position in Group One, and they must win their remaining games against Hungary and Malta and hope Sweden drop points to have a chance of making the play-offs.

Under-pressure coach Carlos Queiroz, who worked with both players at United, believes Rooney’s comments show respect to Portugal.

“Knowing him, I know why he said that – it’s because it shows his respect for Portuguese football and Ronaldo particularly.”

Ronaldo has shaken off an ankle injury in time for the game against Hungary on Saturday, while Jose Bosingwa is also fit after recovering from a muscle problem.

Malaga defender Duda and Guimaraes midfielder Nuno Assis are also available, but Juventus’s Tiago is set to miss out.

Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has refused to blame Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence for their defeat at Sevilla.

The Spanish giants dropped their first points of the season in a 2-1 defeat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Madrid travelled to Sevilla without a host of players, including star man Ronaldo, but Pellegrini insists they should have been able to cope.

“He is an important player,” said the Madrid coach. “But you build a team for when there are absentees.

“Two errors cost us the game and at the end we had the chance to equalise.

“Sevilla are going through a great time and they are the rightful winners.”

However, Pellegrini did find fault with his team for the two goals they conceded.

Headers from Jesus Navas and Renato, either side of Pepe’s equaliser, handed Sevilla all three points and Pellegrini admits the ease with which they let in those goals is a concern.

“You can’t go away happy when you lose,” he added. “We were at fault for both goals.

“I believe the game was lost because of defensive errors. I’m worried that they got two headers against us from players that are a lot shorter.”

Real Madrid’s 100% start to the season came to an end at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán as Sevilla made it seven victories in a row in all competitions. Missing several of their star names, Real were comprehensively outplayed in the first half and went behind to Jesús Navas’ 33rd-minute header.

Pepe equalised against the run of play but Renato headed a deserved winner in the 67th minute to draw Sevilla level on points with Real and three behind the league leaders, Barcelona.

Real’s players had said that Sevilla would provide their biggest challenge so far and the hosts lived up to their billing in the early stages with a number of threatening balls into the Real box. Alvaro Negredo had the best opportunity, but headed over the bar. The Real goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, then had a rush of blood when he charged out of his box to confront Navas, only to see the winger skip away. Raúl Albiol was on hand to head away the danger.

Sevilla continued to make the running and the prolific Luís Fabiano would have been disappointed not to have made better contact after Negredo set him up in the centre of the penalty area, Casillas making a comfortable save.

Real were without Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored nine goals this season but had failed to recover from the ankle injury he suffered during a midweek Champions League win over Marseille.

Lassana Diarra, Alvaro Arbeloa, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Fernando Gago were also missing and Real lacked cohesion, although Marcelo failed to fully exploit a decent break as he fired into Andrés Palop’s midriff.

The game was being played at a frenetic pace with chances at both ends – Karim Benzema could only swipe at fresh air five yards out after good work from Raúl, while Casillas clawed a deflected shot from Navas past the post.

Real did not heed their warning, though, and when Marcelo hesitated in meeting Diego Perotti’s cross, Navas nipped in front of his marker and headed the hosts in front.

Guti, Didier Zokora and Diego Perotti all entered the book following an ugly confrontation, with Zokora somewhat fortunate to escape with only a caution after appearing to push Guti in the face.

Navas was proving Real’s tormentor in chief and he robbed Marcelo before planting a cross on Fabiano’s head, but he could only guide the ball wide. Renato should then have put Sevilla two ahead in the final moments of the first half, but Casillas somehow kept out his point-blank header from Perotti’s fine cross.

The Spain goalkeeper pulled off his second miracle stop in the opening moments of the second half, as Negredo’s cross found Perotti four yards out. The winger was perhaps too casual with his shot and Casillas dived at full stretch to push the ball away.

Having dominated proceedings, Sevilla found themselves level in the 49th minute when Guti’s free-kick was met by a crisp header from Pepe.

Real’s coach, Manuel Pellegrini, replaced the ineffectual Benzema with Gonzalo Higuaín, and they came close to taking the lead in the 57th minute as Mahamadou Diarra headed Alonso’s corner wide.

The visitors seemed to have at last weathered the Sevilla storm but they inexplicably left Renato unmarked in front of goal and he gleefully headed in Navas’ corner.

Real struggled to respond and Casillas had to push Navas’ fierce shot behind in the 87th minute. A last-gasp chance for the visitors went begging as Sergio Ramos fired wide.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been ruled out of Sunday’s Primera Division showdown with Sevilla due to injury.

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The Real Madrid forward has been unable to fully recover from the ankle knock he received during the midweek Champions League win over Marseille and has been left out of Manuel Pellegrini’s 18-man man squad for the trip south.

Losing Ronaldo is a blow for Madrid as he has been in prolific form at the start of the season, scoring nine goals in seven competitive appearances following his world-record move from Manchester United in the summer.

Also missing for Madrid are Lassana Diarra, Alvaro Arbeloa, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Fernando Gago as the league leaders look to continue their 100% start to the campaign against third-placed Sevilla.

FIFA have been accused of trying to ‘fix’ who qualifies for the World Cup to ensure the likes of Germany and France reach South Africa next summer.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that football’s governing body made a U-turn on their rules last week, with star names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery in danger of missing out.

Cristiano Ronaldo admits he is already feeling at home in his new surroundings at Real Madrid.

The Portugal international moved to the Spanish capital this summer in a record-breaking £80million switch from Manchester United.

Having impressed during his days at Old Trafford much was expected of the FIFA World Player of the Year at the Bernabeu and he has not disappointed, marking each of his four Primera Liga games so far with a goal.

Those exploits have already seen him re-write the Real history books, while he has played an integral role in helping the club make a 100 per cent start to the new campaign.

Ronaldo insists he never had any doubt that he would find it easy to acclimatise at such a prestigious club, but has paid tribute to his team-mates for helping to feel at ease so quickly.

“I knew things would go well,” he told the club’s official website.

“I just needed to be patient and stick to the same plan I had in Manchester.

“I understand that there are people who do not like what I do on the pitch, but it is just the way I play. That is who I am and I will continue being that person.

“I am happy in Madrid. I am adjusting to life little by little. I wanted to come here for some time and the club helped me make it a reality.

“Thank God things are going well, and it is all due to my team-mates. They are helping me a lot.”

Real look set for a titanic tussle with arch-rivals Barcelona at the top of the table this season, with the Catalan giants also yet to drop a point this term.

Ronaldo accepts that Pep Guardiola’s side represent the fiercest competition to Real’s ambitions, but is confident his side can prevail.

“Barca are a great team and they have a solid squad,” he said.

“We are going to go head-to-head all season long, so we’ll see who comes out on top.”

Nani has revealed he turns to his former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo whenever he needs a confidence booster.

The 22-year-old was wasteful in United’s 2-0 win at Stoke on Saturday before being hauled off early in the second half for Ryan Giggs, who helped set up both goals for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

Nani has revealed he remains close with Real Madrid superstar Ronaldo and the pair often talk about how he can improve his game.

“Cristiano and I talk a lot,” explained Nani. “We speak about my own game and he gives me confidence to go out and perform.”

Abd Ronaldo has backed his international colleague’s credentials and believes that in the coming years he will be amongst the world’s best.

Ronaldo said: “Nani is an excellent player and I am sure that in a few years he will be among the best players in the world.”

The devastating effect of Real Madrid’s second galáctico era was on full display last night as Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká scored in a 2-0 win for Manuel Pellegrini’s side against Villarreal.

The players, who cost Real in excess of £136m this summer, scored in each half as Real achieved their fourth win out of four in La Liga.

Ronaldo scored in stunning style after just two minutes. The Portuguese sped down the left wing, cut inside and struck with a low shot from just outside the penalty area for his fifth league goal of the season.

Villarreal looked doomed from that moment on and their cause was not helped when the defender Gonzalo Rodríguez was sent off 10 minutes before the break, earning a second yellow card for catching Kaká in the chest with a reckless flying kick.

The Brazilian playmaker than completed Real’s victory with a 73rd-minute penalty after Angel López was adjudged to have handled Marcelo’s cross.

“They [Villarreal] are difficult to beat at home but we managed it,” said Ronaldo. ” After Kaká’s goal, we were more in control.”

Real’s perfect start to the season is matched only by Barcelona. The Spanish and European champions thrashed Racing Santander 4-1 on Tuesday thanks to two goals from Lionel Messi and one apiece from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gerard Piqué.