Brazilian press conference: "You can talk straight to him, he has very good English," the press pack was told, an announcement that was greeted with considerable relief after the previous hour had been spent wondering what Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho had been saying in Portuguese to the Brazilian media.  Mary Hannigan reports

All that had been garnered, in linguistic terms, from those package holidays on the Algarve was obrigado - not tremendously useful on a day like this.

"Not very good," said Carlos Alberto Parreira of his English, before proceeding to conduct a press conference in English so fluent it almost drew purrs.

What is your team for the game?

"The team that just finished the training," he said, "the one in the salmon colour."

Salmon? Tinned or fresh? If it's tinned, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho will be on the bench.

The salmon is fresh. The three Rs will start.

That suggests you are taking the match very seriously? "Yes. Any time Brazil goes on to the field of play it is a serious game, even if it is a friendly game. We are the world champions, we have a name to honour, the people will be watching - and also it is part of our preparations for the World Cup qualifiers. We have a game next month against Paraguay and this is the only chance we have to prepare, because most of our players play in Europe, so we have to use this game well. That is why this game is most welcome."

The reaction you got today from the crowd, from the kids, is that normal? "Yes, it has been like this everywhere we go, the Brazilian players have fans all over the world, especially since they won the World Cup. We are very happy about this because it shows our skills and technique and the way we play is admired in every corner of the world."

So far Parreira has been nice about Ireland, but then he puts the boot in. About the climate.

"One thing we would change, of course, are the weather conditions - it's not the same as South America," he says, shrugging. "But we have competitive games every time we play abroad, all the games are very difficult, everybody wants to beat the Brazilian team, it never changes. We look at the newspapers, the television, playing Brazil is always the same: 'it's the game of our lives', 'it's the best game'. If we don't play with the same attitude we would be in trouble every game.

"It is not enough to have good qualities technically, we must also have the right attitude for every game. When we have the right attitude I would say we are almost unbeatable."

There's always pressure on you not just to win but to win with style?

"Yes, there is that pressure on Brazil, but you do what you can do. You just pick the players, have 35 minutes training and play. That's it. That's the reason I try to pick the same team for every game, to build the team, to use the games as a building process."

Your football is very different to European football, will you take that into account tomorrow?

"No, no, we have our own style and we don't want to change that, we are very happy with the way we play. Our style is different, the pace of the game in Europe is different, our philosophy is to have the ball and play with the ball, we won't change that. I think it is a big, big asset. Every team needs players who can make the difference and in this particular aspect we are very fortunate - we don't only have one player like that, we have so many. Players who can make a difference in every game."

Ireland had a problem with keeping one star player happy, Roy Keane: how do you keep so many star players happy?

"This is something that is very good in Brazil, when our players come to the national team it's a pleasure for them, it's an honour, they feel very happy. We can see this when they come together. Yesterday we had dinner and they were all talking - after two hours they were still enjoying a conversation at the table. After two hours? That is good. We have to transmit this to the game itself. Play with the same joy, the same happiness.

"They were proud to play for the national team, there is no trouble - and, of course, we would not accept any trouble. They know. They know if they don't behave they will not be back. That's not just my view, it is also public opinion."

Do you think Ronaldo is a bit big still?

"Sorry?"

Do you think Ronaldo is a bit . . . big?

"No. I think he is okay. He is strong. I don't feel that he is obese or overweight, he is just stronger than he was before, no doubt."

What do you know about this Irish team?

"I've seen videos of some games, the European qualifying games, it's a very brave, very competitive side. Experienced. Very strong at home. They have their way, it is very clear the way they play so we will try to impose our style. The game will be decided by the team that imposes its way of playing: we have our way, Ireland has its way. We must stop them from making the game quick and fast and denying us space, the high balls and so on."

Are you worried about the high balls?

"We have conceded so many goals we shouldn't have conceded from high balls so it is a good opportunity for us to concentrate on this point."

Any Irish players you're worried about? "I think the team plays as a team, it doesn't rely on one player to win games. Very competitive. We like the way they play. It's not by chance that they have been in three of the last four World Cups, they are an experienced team."

They say the 1970 Brazilian team was the best. How does this team compare?

"It's so difficult to compare eras in football, but as far as my opinion is concerned the best Brazilian team ever was the one from 1958. A team that has Djalma Santos, Pele, Zito, Didi, Vava, Nilton Santos, Garrincha . . . in the same team? Impossible to beat this. In my opinion, anyhow."

It's official, then: Parreira's is only the third best Brazilian team in history. Why didn't he looked worried, then, about tonight's game?