Preview Brazil V CroatiaBrazil kick off this evening's game against Croatia as favourites to retain the title they won in Tokyo four years ago but there are those amongst Carlos Alberto Parreira's players who still believe they have something to prove.
"I'm going to shut a lot of people up," declared Ronaldo, the "unloved" Real Madrid superstar who, having been comfortably overshadowed in Spain by international team-mate Ronaldinho during the past couple of seasons has now suffered the indignity of the nation's president asking the team's coach whether the striker is "fat" or not.
There are those who believe that Ronaldo will answer his critics in the best way possible and the 10 goals he scored last year in seven qualifying games, including all three in the win over Argentina, suggest he remains capable of turning it on at the highest level.
It is perhaps a little alarming, though, that his inclusion in the starting line-up for the game in Berlin comes only after he had been troubled by both blistering on his feet and sinus trouble.
The striker is not the only Brazil player about whom there are questions ahead of this tournament with both full-backs getting on a bit given the highly energetic roles they are expected to perform.
In general, though, there is no reason to suspect the reigning champions won't be around for the final shake-up of the tournament and it would take a brave punter to bet against them lifting the trophy yet again.
For Croatia anything remotely approaching the third place they achieved in France eight years ago would rightly be regarded as a triumph, and even qualification for the second round is far from guaranteed with Australia looking a particular threat in the wake of yesterday's defeat of Japan.
Their prospects are not helped either by the fact that a good number of Zlatko Kranjcar's squad were last week laid low by a virus and though all have recovered sufficiently to play some may not be at their best this evening.
Ivica Olic is also set to miss out with a thigh strain and so Ivan Klasnic will almost certainly partner Dado Prso in the team's attack.
Brazil (4-4-2)
Dida; Cafu, Lucio, Juan, Roberto Carlos; Kaka, Emerson, Ze Roberto, Ronaldinho; Ronaldo, Adriano.
Croatia (4-5-1)
Pletikosa; Simic, R Kovac, Simunic; Srna, Tudor, N Kovac, Kranjcar, Babic; Klasnic, Prso.
