Brazil eyes elusive title

Brazil's Olympic soccer squad got down to training on Wednesday determined to put a selection controversy behind them and concentrate on securing the only major title they have never won.

While the Brazilian team attracted crowds of several thousand to each training session at the 1998 World Cup, the Olympic squad's first work-out at Carrara's Gold Coast stadium was watched by a handful of fans and around 50 Brazilian journalists.

The stadium, formerly home to Australian Rules team the Brisbane Bears, is now used predominantly for baseball but provided a lush surface for the South Americans to work on.

Wanderley Luxemburgo, coach of both senior and Olympic teams, has been under fire at home for his decision not to select any over-age players for the squad. The rules allow for three.

Central to the row is 35-year-old veteran striker Romario, who pleaded unsuccessfully with Luxemburgo to include him.

Luxemburgo, also under intense media pressure after Brazil's shocking start to the South American qualifying competition for the 2002 World Cup, will join the Olympic squad next week.

Acting head coach Jose Candido So Ho Maior refused on Thursday to discuss selection policy.

"The players here are the only players I am interested in and they are good enough to win the gold medal," he said.

Brazil's first match is against Slovakia on September 14, the day before the opening ceremony, followed by matches against South Africa and Japan, all in Brisbane. So Ho Maior said he hoped his squad's early arrival would enable them to be fully acclimatised.

The full Brazil team has won four World Cups, the South American championship and the Confederations Cup while its clubs have won the Intercontinental Cup and world club championship.

They have come close to the Olympic title on several occasions. Four years ago they led Nigeria 3-1 with 12 minutes remaining in the semifinals but lost in extra-time.

In 1988, with Romario in the team, they lost in the final to the Soviet Union, following another final defeat to France four years earlier.