Sit back and enjoy a friendly chance of a lifetime

Mark Lawrenson/Soccer analyst: When you get Brazil playing at Lansdowne Road, of course it brings a lot of excitement and a lot of hype and there's no doubt it's going to be a special occasion. A sell-out game like this is definitely one to look forward to.

But in terms of qualification and the football that really matters it's of little relevance to anybody, especially at this time of the year.

It's a game that doesn't mean a whole lot for Brazil, and even less for us. Victory on a cold February night at Lansdowne Road doesn't carry a great deal of kudos for anyone. But it is something of an appetiser for us, even if it is a long way from the games that really matter.

I mean, this is a friendly in every meaning of the word.

What it is, though, is a lovely game to play in. They are the best team in the world, with some fantastic names, and the famous shirts, and in front of a full house - that should be fantastic. And throughout our lives Brazil have been synonymous with the best in football.

Despite the fact that it's costing a lot of money to bring Brazil here, I still consider it money well spent. In fact it's quite a clever move by the FAI. The team has missed out on Euro 2004 and the whole thing is a bit flat at the moment. So for keeping things interesting for the supporters it's definitely a good idea.

Let's be fair then: if you are going to play anyone in the dead month of February then you'd want to play Brazil. Even a team like Italy or France wouldn't have the same resonance as Brazil. So for the Irish players it's going to be a big, big deal.

I mean this is the dream of every footballer. When you're a youngster growing up playing football one of the first things you dream about is playing Brazil. It's always had that mystic feel, and involves all that great passion and flamboyance of Brazilian football.

So I can see all the players rising for this game. The likes of Andy Reid, who I was very impressed with last time he played at Lansdowne, should be one to watch, and I think all the lads will work hard, and make sure they are very difficult to beat. And the biggest test for any international footballer is still to play against Brazil. It's just too bad it's not in a competitive situation.

From Brian Kerr's point of view there won't be much to read into. I mean, Roberto Carlos is not going to run 40 yards to make a tackle. And you can't imagine Ronaldo taking any risks either. What he will get is a team with a complete contrast in styles, and that should be interesting to watch.

And Kerr's right to put out a competitive team. The Brazilians will change around a lot players and he should do something similar. Jason McAteer is back in there too, and I saw him at the weekend playing very well for Sunderland. He's taking on a little more responsibility, and he still sees some room in that Irish team for another year or 18 months. I don't think he'll make another World Cup, but any ex-footballer will tell you to play on as long as you can, as long as you're not embarrassing yourself.

Whatever concerns might remain about the Irish defence, I don't think Brazil are going to slip in five or six goals. They'll turn up and play like it's some sort of samba party, and have a bit of fun. They'll have the flicks and the touches, but in terms of the 50-50 tackles they won't exactly be committed.

But these Brazilians are not daft. They'll know how to put on a show for the Dublin crowd and they'll want to sell the game, and make sure it will be fantastic to watch.

And I don't think anyone will come away disappointed. Even if the result is a nothing. Think of the fathers who are bringing the kids to the game, and think of the players, too, who in years to come will look back on this game.

The number of players who make it as professionals is tiny. The number who achieve awards are even fewer. But the number of players who can tell their grandchildren years down the road that they played against the likes of Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos and Kaka are the fewest of all. Sure, they could dine out on that for fun.

In an interview with Ian O'Riordan