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This is an archive article published on February 12, 2003

Brazil to field full-strength squad

World champions Brazil will put out their strongest side for the friendly international against China on Wednesday, coach Carlos Alberto Par...

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World champions Brazil will put out their strongest side for the friendly international against China on Wednesday, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.

“The line-up will basically be the same team which played against Korea in December and most of the players who played in the World Cup several months ago,” Parreira told reporters on Tuesday.

China will be out to avenge their 4-0 defeat by Brazil at last year’s World Cup, but new coach Ari Haan did not say much on what his team selection would be for his first match in charge.

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“We have to wait till the players get to the field for training because some of them just arrived one hour ago, so we have to have a look at how they feel,” he said.

But former Netherlands international Haan made it clear he intended to bring some Dutch flair to a Chinese team whose hard working style made no impact in their first appearance in the World Cup finals, bowing out goalless.

“Very important to Dutch football are the position of the ball and using the space well. I think these are the most important things,” said Haan.

The Brazilians arrived for their first game in China to a samba-style reception, including dancing girls and trumpeting elephants.

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Clowns on stilts, bongo-beating boys and flaming torches also greeted Ronaldo and his team mates in the southern city of Guangzhou.

“I am looking forward to a fun, challenging game,” said Chinese midfielder Li Tie, who plays for English premier league club Everton.

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