BERLIN, 8 September 2004 — Brazil striker Ronaldo arrived in Berlin for today’s friendly against Germany a day after his teammates but he had a good excuse for being late. The team landed in Germany on Monday but Ronaldo was given permission to come a day later because he had an engagement dinner with his girlfriend.
“It was 10 times tougher than scoring two goals in the World Cup final,” Ronaldo told reporters yesterday when asked about how it went.
The Real Madrid forward took his girlfriend, model Daniella Cicarelli, to Brazil training a few days ago and introduced her to coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who allowed him to come to Berlin 24 hours later than the rest of the team. Ronaldo, who scored both goals in Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Germany in the 2002 World Cup final, split up from his first wife Milene Domingues last year, four years after getting married. Shortly before the engagement dinner, Ronaldo had opened the scoring in a 3-1 win over Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday and had celebrated by showing off a tattooed wrist with the initials D, for Daniella, and R, for himself. Parreira made it immediately clear to Ronaldo that party time was over.
“This game for Germany is the start of their (2006) World Cup campaign,” the coach told reporters. “They want to use it to boost their confidence ahead of the finals.”
For the game at Berlin’s newly renovated Olympic stadium, Parreira will be able to rely not only on Ronaldo but also on central defender Juan, who plays his club football in Germany for Bayer Leverkusen.
Juan was pulled out of the squad for the qualifier against Bolivia after being injured in a clash of heads in a Bundesliga match but is now fully fit. Five European-based Brazilian internationals, AC Milan trio Kaka, Dida and Cafu and Bayern Munich pair Ze Roberto and Lucio, were dropped for both the Bolivia game and today’s friendly.
Parreira suggested the five should have exerted some pressure on their clubs when they refused to release them for a friendly in Haiti last month. Officials from the Brazilian football federation were to meet European club executives in Germany to raise the problem.
Top European Nations Have Chance to Regain Authority
Top European nations Greece, France, England, and Italy have the chance to regain their authority in World Cup qualifying today following opening night nerves at the weekend.
England only earned a 2-2 draw in Austria courtesy of a blunder by keeper David James, France sorely missed the midfield creativity of Zinedine Zidane in a home 0-0 draw against Israel, and European champions Greece had a simply shocking result in losing 2-1 in Albania.
Italy beat Norway 2-1 in Palermo but only after a late goal by Luca Toni and they had been trailing following a John Carew goal in the opening minute. Italy travel to Moldova in their Group Five clash today.
Captain David Beckham was England’s main injury concern ahead of the Group Six match against Poland in Chorzow. Beckham was forced to leave training here early Monday after picking up a rib injury in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Austria.
But yesterday he practiced and is likely to start for the match. Although Beckham has recovered, his injury could not have come at a worse time for Eriksson, under fire after England squandered a two-goal lead against Austria. France travel to the Faroe Islands desperate to reignite their Group Four campaign after their hiccup against Israel.
A work under construction is how coach Raymond Domenech describes the 1998 world champions but the one asset he sorely needs to carry out the regeneration — namely time — is missing. This trip to the little fishing community in the North Atlantic between Scotland and Iceland — population 46,672 — would in years gone by have been regarded as easy pickings for a team that boasted such giants of the game as Zinedine Zidane, Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thurma and Bixente Lizarazu.
But with this quartet retired after France’s failed Euro 2004 campaign, former under-21 coach Domenech has been forced to entrust France’s fortunes in a new generation of players. European champions Greece have a point to prove against Turkey in Group Two.
