Player WATCH

The steroetyped image of Latin America8217;s top footballers is of brooding, temperamental superstars. It is one that does not fit Cesar Sampaio, Brazil8217;s unassuming and unlikely goalscoring hero.

The 30-year-old Japan-based player does what he is told, has never stormed out of training camp in a fit of pique and prefers reading the Bible to a life of nightclubs and glamour.

Cesar Sampaio, whose role as a defensive midfielder means that he is unlikely ever to be among the top goalscorers, had only ever scored three international goals before World Cup. One year ago he was not even considered likely to make the trip to France.

The player himself said that when he moved to Japan three years ago to join Yokohama Flugels, he was kissing his international career goodbye. quot;My strong point has always been my consistency,quot; said Sampaio. quot;I have never been a regular goalscorer and that has never been my intention.quot;

Igor Stimac

RookieCrotia sweeper says he is the best

Defender Igor Stimac played the match of his life on Tuesday 8212; and left Croatian coach Miroslav Blazevic with an acute selection problem ahead of Saturday8217;s quarter-final meeting with three-time champions Germany in Lyon on Saturday. Stimac was switched to the sweeping role he has always coveted when Zvonimir Soldo was suspended and he was majestic as the World Cup rookies downed Romania 1-0 to make it into the last eight.

quot;I waited a long time for my chance and now I expect to keep the sweeper8217;s spot,quot; Stimac said. quot;I8217;m the best player in the position and I expect to stay there.quot; Coach Blazevic hinted Stimac may have convinced him.

Edwin van Der Sar

Dutch goalie plays down racial rift

THE day after beating Yugoslavia to reach the quarterfinals, the Dutch were in damage limitation mode yesterday, playing down an on-field scuffle between two players. Goalkeeper Edwin van Der Sar appeared to hit replacement defender Winston Bogarde during wildcelebrations following Edgar Davids8217; last-gasp goal. But in a blaze of media attention at training yesterday, van Der Sar dismissed the incident as an overreaction on his part. The interest was high because the incident hinted at a repeat of the racial rift within the team that soured the 1996 Euro Championship. Van der Sar is white and Bogarde is black.

Zinedine Zidane

The genius France cannot do without

It8217;s payback time for Zinedine Zidane. After kicking an opponent to earn a two-match suspension, the star playmaker said he was confident his teammates would make sure he would be able to play more World Cup games. They have, and for Friday8217;s quarterfinal against Italy, Zidane has the pressure of a whole nation on to finally start producing the goods that will earn the World Cup.

8220;Now it8217;s all up to me,8221; said Zidane. Without 8220;Zizou,8221; as he is known, France struggled long and hard, unable to crack the Paraguayan defence in a golden-goal, 1-0 win in Sunday8217;s second round. Now, coachAime Jacquet can go back to his original tactical plan centered on Zidane. He always said Zidane was the genius France could not do without if Les Bleus wanted to lift the Cup.