Ronaldinho to lead Brazil in Olympics

Ronaldinho and Robinho will try to lead Brazil to its first Olympic gold medal in football at the Beijing Games.
Ronaldinho, Robinho and 16 other players were summoned by coach Dunga on Monday, 15 days before the squad is scheduled to begin its preparation for the tournament.

The Olympics is the only significant title Brazil has never won. The Brazilians won the silver medal twice, in 1984 in Los Angeles and 1988 in Seoul. It won the bronze in 1996

in Atlanta.

Dunga picked Fluminense defender Thiago Silva as the third allowable player older than 23 in the roster, in addition to Ronaldinho and Robinho.

"The experience factor can be decisive in the Olympics," Dunga said, according to the Web site of the Brazilian football confederation. "That's why several players born in 1985 were chosen, and even the youngsters already have international experience."

Among those more experienced players are Werder Bremen's Diego, Manchester United's Anderson, Liverpool's Lucas and AC Milan's Alexandre Pato.

Other notables include Manchester City's Jo, Real Betis' Rafael Sobis, Schalke's Rafinha, Real Madrid's Marcelo and Fluminense's promising star Thiago Neves.

"There is a bigger variety from the middle forward, with more versatile players," Dunga said. "Players who are fast and with good presence in the area, to take advantage of set pieces."

The Olympic team has played only twice, losing 3-0 to a team composed of the best Brazilian league players last year, and beating a Rio de Janeiro combined squad 1-0 last month.

Brazil is in Group C at the Olympics, along with Belgium, China and New Zealand. It debuts on August 7, a day before the games officially begin, against Belgium.

Dunga was a member of the runner-up side in Los Angeles. The former defensive midfielder later helped Brazil's senior squad win the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Roster:

Goalkeepers: Diego Alves (Almeria), Renan (Internacional).

Defenders: Ilsinho (Shakhtar Donetsk), Rafinha (Shalke), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Alex Silva (Sao Paulo), Breno (Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Fluminense).

Midfielders: Anderson (Manchester United), Diego (Werder Bremen); Hernanes (Sao Paulo), Lucas (Liverpool), Ronaldinho (FC Barcelona), Thiago Neves (Fluminense).

Forwards: Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Jo (Manchester City), Rafael Sobis (Real Betis), Robinho (Real Madrid).