RONALDO thinks Brazil can win the World Cup even though they are facing an injury crisis only a day before they play Scotland in the opening game. The �20m man knows he will never be mentioned in the same breath as Pele or Maradona until he has conquered the globe. And while the world is watching the 21-year-old sensation, he is spreading the huge responsibility and expectation around his teammates. ''I want to win the World Cup and I believe in this team,'' said Ronaldo. ''In Brazil, it is victory or exile - there is nothing in between. We are all united in our aim to win here and the atmosphere in the group is excellent. We can achieve our ambition of becoming the second South American side to win in Europe (following Brazil in Sweden in 1958). We shall respect all teams here. It's true we shall miss Romario but the tandem of Ronaldo and Bebeto will be strong and we will score goals - I feel it in my bones.'' The Inter Milan striker was an excited teenager in the Brazil squad four years ago but had to watch the whole event form the sidelines as Romario and Bebeto led Brazil to the very top. Now, with Romario being cut from the squad a week before the kick-off, he will team up with Bebeto against the Scots in Paris tomorrow. While rumours circulate that Romario would have been fit in time to play the group matches if manager Mario Zagallo had been more patient and waited for his calf injury to heal, Brazil have been hit by a clutch of injury problems in defence. Centre back Aldair, who was included in the team named on 5 May for tomorrow's game, and Andre Cruz, who is due to be on the bench, both had to miss training on Monday. Team doctor Lidio Toledo said Aldair had muscular pains while Andre Cruz had suffered a muscular contraction and both were undergoing a hydrotherapy session in a nearby swimming pool. "If the game was tomorrow (Tuesday), Aldair wouldn't be playing," Toledo said. The veteran doctor claimed both players would be ready on Wednesday afternoon but if neither can play, Botafogo defender Goncalves will line up with Junior Baiano in a makeshift central defensive partnership. The two have played together only three times before, when they formed the centre of the defence in Brazil's poor CONCACAF Gold Cup performance in February. Brazil have already been forced to drop three players because of injury since naming their squad in early May. Andre Cruz himself was named as a replacement for Marcio Santos, who was the first to go with a pulled hamstring. He was followed by midfielder Flavio Conceicao, who had a knee injury. But the most sensational departure was that of 1994 hero Romario. Toledo's handling of the situation has been criticised, with all three players insisting they could have recovered in time. Flavio Conceicao played and scored in a Spanish league game for Deportivo Coruna the day after he was dropped and Romario said on returning to Brazil that he planned to play for Flamengo on 16 June to prove his fitness. ROBERTO CARLOS claims he will be fit to play despite carrying a foot injury, but he has conceded that the new adidas ball to be used at the World Cup has taken the vicious curve out his free-kicks! The Real Madrid full back admits he hasn't been able to achieve the same eye-popping bend he can create with the conventional ball. "I've been practising, but it doesn't swerve as much as the other," he said. "For the time being, I'm just going to have to hit it straight." The news will be a mighty relief for Scotland goalkeeper Jim Leighton. Carlos scored one of the most astonishing goals ever seen, against France last year with a 35-yard 'banana shot' with the outside of his left foot, but even his straight efforts can be a nightmare for goalkeepers. "I have hit some at up to 100mph (160 kph)," he claimed.

BROWN: �WE'RE NOT SCARED OF BRAZIL'   SCOTLAND manager Craig Brown let his mild-mannered mask slip yesterday to reveal a determination to teach a lesson to pundits who have written his side off. The Scots kick-off France 98 against defending champions and favourites Brazil tomorrow afternoon, and it's hard to find people who think they can get anything from the game, or become the first Scottish squad to get beyond the first round of a World Cup. Brown, however, says the criticism of their ability is only making his players more eager to show what they can do. "The squad are hurting a bit about what is being said about them," he said. They have a great chance to display their character in this game as well as their technical ability. Take it from me, we are not a million miles away from Brazil. Our players are experienced and if you look at our squad we have a team of winners. They are used to pressure games and big crowds. My team will not be unnerved by Brazil. The players aim to seize the chance with both hands and show they can play at the top level." With a squad including eight players from Celtic's title-winning side plus experienced pros like Monaco's John Collins, Blackburn stalwart Colin Hendry and Paul Lambert, who won the European Cup with Borussia Dortmund, Brown feels Scotland have nothing to fear. "We've got winners from four different European countries," he said. "Very few countries can boast that in their squad, I'm sure. So I think we can go with a winners' mentality. We're not going there to be pushed around. We're going there positively. We know that the occasion will be big, but we won't be overawed." The players share their manager's self-belief, with team captain Hendry adding: "I honestly think we can succeed in getting to the knockout stages of the competition. If we didn't think that we wouldn't bother turning up, to be honest. That would be a success for us. But of course, success breeds success and the more you get the more you want."

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