French Cuppa/ QUICKSIPS

Ronaldo's burdenWho cares if a healthy 21-year-old is a smidgen over his normal weight? When it's Ronaldo, just about everybody. Ronaldo's 6...

Ronaldo8217;s burden

Who cares if a healthy 21-year-old is a smidgen over his normal weight? When it8217;s Ronaldo, just about everybody. Ronaldo8217;s 6-foot frame was the target of scrutiny after Brazilian team physician Dr. Lidio Toledo said he thought the star striker looked quot;a little fatquot; and promised to investigate. The Brazilian newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo quoted Toledo as saying that Ronaldo was quot;a half-kilo over his normal weight.8221;

Barbeque, beef and beer

Brazil8217;s football aces had a nice distraction from their spartanic routine in the form of a barbeque organised by their federation. The Churrasco feast incuded 40 kg of beef and plenty of sausage and chicken. Coach Mario Zagallo generously also allowed his players to use bottles of beer each to wash down the food.

Take wife, give ticket

Not even the extraordinary offer to swap his wife, house and car for a World Cup ticket for his team8217;s round-of-16 game with Mexico on Monday was enough to get a German fan into the stadium.The offer was reportedly rejected and the fan had to settle for a television screen in a local bar 8212; but at least he was able to keep his wife, dwelling and vehicle. Wonder whether his wife will keep him now!

Vieri8217;s jersey for Border

World Cup ace Christian Vieri is to send Allan Border one of his football shirts, in return for an autographed bat from the Austrialian cricket great. Border said in Sydney that he would be sending a bat to the star of France 8217;98 after hearing that Vieri, who grew up in Australia before returning to Italy in his mid-teens, was a fan.

Leggy pep-up for France

France goes into its quarter-final match against Italy this week with a prominent fan Slovakian top model Adriana Sklenarikova who has just been picked to show off the new Wonderbra. Sklenariko, 26, is the leggy fiancee of French midfielder Christian Karembeu and tries not to miss an opportunity to cheer on France. She will be taking part in the Yves Saint-Laurent fashion show that will open the WorldCup final on July 12.

Pocket money

Teams competing at the World Cup have made a nice amount of pocket money at the tournament with even first-round losers netting three million Swiss francs some two million dollars at one million francs a game. An additional 750,000 francs went to the national federations before the event to aid preparation and defray travel costs. Players get 375 francs 240 dollars a day.