Securing a first Olympic title will be a tougher job than the World Cup, Brazil's coach Dunga said Sunday, and insisted his young team was up to the task of football gold at the Beijing Games. While Brazil have held the World Cup five times they have never won at the Olympics, but Dunga said his squad-including Ronaldinho-were coping well with the weight of expectation.
"To win (an) Olympic medal is a bit harder because we don't have much time to prepare," he told reporters in Singapore ahead of an exhibition match here Monday.
"With respect to the World Cup, we have four years to prepare for it... in Olympic Games normally we have 15 days and players are coming back from holidays, from other competition," he said. The Brazilian team, including two-time World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, 18-year-old AC Milan sensation Alexandre Pato, and Manchester United's Anderson, have been going through drills and tactics since arriving last week.
"There is a lot of pressure in winning... most of these players, although they are young, they are already playing in big teams in Europe and also in Brazil so they are coping quite well," said Dunga. Anderson, who already has Premier League and Champions League titles under his belt, is keen to add another medal to his rapidly escalating collection.
Eighteen-year-old Pato, who has been hailed as Milan's bright new hope, said experienced players like 28-year-old Ronaldinho would help steady the nerves. "I am glad to be in a team that consists of more experienced players who can help and support me on the field," he told reporters. "It also calms me and helps me to try and do my best on the field." After a game Monday against Singapore, they will head to Hanoi for a friendly against Vietnam's national side on August 1.
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