Rio De Janeiro, Nov 02: Brazilian soccer coach names foreign-based players ahead of World Cup qualifying matches.
Brazilian national team manager Carlos Alberto Parreira announced on Thursday (October 30) the squad for November's World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay.
Rivaldo kept his place despite his lack of club football with AC Milan where he has been relegated to the bench. His name was included in the list of 17 foreign-based players called up by the world champions for the matches in Peru on November 16 and against Uruguay in Brazil three days later. Five home-based players will be named on Tuesday (November 4) to complete the squad for the third and fourth matches in Brazil's marathon campaign to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Sixteen of the players named by Parreira were in the squad for the 2-1 win in Colombia and the 1-0 win at home against Ecuador in September. Olympique Lyon midfielder Juninho Pernambucano was the only newcomer. .


Parreira said his predicted Brazil will face two difficult games but stressed the target was to emerge with 12 points from their opening four matches.


"We have to think big," he said, "and thinking big at this moment is to end the year with 12 points."


Brazil are the first defending champion who has been forced to enter the qualifiers for the following tournament. The South Americans are the only team to have played at all 17 World Cup tournaments.


Brazilian squad: Goalkeeper - Dida (AC Milan, Italy) Defenders - Cafu (AC Milan, Italy), Belletti (Villarreal, Spain), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid, Spain), Junior (Parma, Italy), Roque Junior (Leeds United, England), Lucio (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Edmilson (Olympique Lyon, France), Juan (Bayer Leverkusen, Spain) Midfielders - Emerson (AS Roma, Italy), Gilberto Silva (Arsenal, England), Ze Roberto (Bayern Munich, Germany), Juninho Pernambucano (Olympique Lyon, France),


Forwards - Kaka (AC Milan), Ronaldinho (Barcelona, Spain), Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Spain) Rivaldo (AC Milan, Italy)


Bureau Report