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TALES AZZONI
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KOENIGSTEIN, Germany—Ronaldinho knows being the best player in the
world has its burdens. One of them will be to face defenders extra
motivated trying to stop him at the World Cup.
"I've been facing tough defence for quite some time with Barcelona
and the national team," Ronaldinho said yesterday before one of
Brazil's practice sessions in Koenigstein.
"It's not going to be any different in the World Cup."
Ronaldinho, named FIFA player of the year for the last two years
in a row, will be leading Brazil on its quest to win its second
straight World Cup title — and sixth overall.
"All nations try to set up the best defence in the world when they
are facing Brazil," he said. "We know we will face a lot of
difficulty because of that. Everybody plays very defensively
against Brazil."
The striker, who helped FC Barcelona win the Spanish title and the
Champions League earlier this year, said he doesn't want extra
pressure because of his status of best in the world.
"I think everybody (in the team) has the same responsibility," he
said. "What I have is a lot of motivation to play my best. I'm
going through a wonderful moment and I hope to get to the World
Cup at the same level."
Ronaldinho, 26, also said he's not worried about his scoring
drought during the team's pre-World Cup preparation.
He scored no goals in the three warm-up matches in which Brazil
outscored its opponents — Swiss club FC Lucerne, Fluminense's
under-20 squad and New Zealand — by 25-1.
"My job (in the national team) is different," he said. "I have to
help the forwards score."
Ronaldinho will be playing in his second World Cup. He was a
member of the squad that won Brazil's fifth title at the 2002
tournament in Japan and South Korea.
Ronaldinho earned high praise from Brazil coach Carlos Alberto
Parreira yesterday.
"He has matured a lot since the last World Cup," Parreira said.
``He has grown-up as a player, as a person, as a man and I think
this will reflect in his performance in the World Cup."
Ronaldinho has 46 goals in 88 matches for Brazil.
"He can do everything with the ball," Parreira said. "But the most
important thing is his ability to see the openings."
Ronaldinho yesterday proudly distributed to teammates the first
issue of the Brazilian comic book in which he is a toothy, boyish
character possessing the soccer wizardry of his namesake, the
Brazilian Soccer Confederation said. The deal for the player's
comic book series was closed last year.
Ronaldinho and the rest of the Brazilian squad, meanwhile, got
some good news when they learned Ronaldo has recovered from
blisters on his feet.
Ronaldo came off at halftime in Brazil's 4-0 win over New Zealand
on Sunday because of the blisters.
"The blisters have healed. ... There are no problems anymore. He
is free to do whatever everyone else is doing," Brazil doctor Jose
Luiz Runco said.
Runco said Ronaldo's blisters may have been caused by a defect in
his new boots which are made by Nike.
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