Soccer’s nuclear force waiting to explode

It also is a personal challenge for Ronaldo. Twice voted Fifa Player of the Year, the 21-year-old striker has yet to produce the great things expected of him in the cup.

Sure, he leads Brazil’s scorers with four goals in six games. But three teammates have three goals each, and Ronaldo has not been the dominant force many predicted.

Asked to name the key players in Brazil’s campaign, coach Mario Zagallo cited Aldair, Cesar Sampaio, Cafu, Rivaldo and Dunga. Not Ronaldo. But Zagallo simply holds Ronaldo to a higher standard. He knows the Inter Milan striker can do better.

“Ronaldo is rising in production every game,” he said. “I am sure the final will be Ronaldo’s.”

Zagallo has pushed Ronaldo to be moremobile and shake the double coverage he routinely draws. But Ronaldo doesn’t always follow the coach’s advice.

In Brazil’s semi-final against The Netherlands, Ronaldo was invisible for much of the first half, then awoke in the second to score a goal and torment the Dutch defence. It’s a pattern that has recurred throughout the Cup.

“Because I won two trophies, people always expect me to resolve everything,” he said. “But nobody wins anything alone. The responsibility of helping Brazil to be champion is mine but also the team’s.”

It’s not easy being Ronaldo. Barely five years ago, soccer’s superstar was just another kid from the poor north side of Rio de Janeiro, trying to make a local team. How life has changed.

“Every day, people ask me if I want to be the best, if I will be the high scorer, what I think about being constantly on magazine covers, if all this scares me,” he said. “Nothing scares me. I never was afraid of anything.”But if soccer has changed his life, Ronaldo says he’s still thesimple youngster from Bento Ribeiro.

“Nothing has changed in my head. Things happen and I keep overcoming obstacles. It’s like that everywhere I go,” he said. “I’m well off financially, but my behavior is the same.” In 1994, he watched from the bench as Romario and Bebeto led Brazil to its fourth World Cup title. Now, he’s ready to take his role as leader.