Brazil: Rivaldo

A couple of years out of the limelight, indulging perhaps in a desire to work on credible art-house movies, can cast a Hollywood star down the billing of their next blockbuster.

The great Paul Newman admitted at the age of 75: ‘‘I’m no longer a marquee star. I can’t open a film any more the way Tom Cruise can, but I can still get a good table in a restaurant.’’

Rivaldo, going to his second World Cup, cannot help but feel similar.

Brazil are expected to make little impact this summer, while his star has dimmed after a difficult couple of years at Barcelona.

He has failed to win a move away, which at one point looked an inevitability, and has slogged on in an under-performing team.

The likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Hernan Crespo go to the Far East as those with the movie-star personas, those expected to deliver shining performances and leave with football’s equivalent of a lifetime of Oscars the World Cup.

The boy from Paulista has suddenly got everything to prove again, just three years after winning FIFA’s World Player of the Year award.

Rows with former Barca coach Louis van Gaal almost saw Rivaldo’s Nou Camp career end in shame, but he made up with the Dutchman and has not been a troublesome figure since Carles Rexach took charge last year.

Rivaldo shows glimpses of brilliance at club level, and to level the blame at him for Barca’s failing would be grossly unfair.

At least for Barca and his former clubs, he has collected silverware frequently, if not for the past couple of years.

The latest Brazil number 10 has always been perceived as an under-achiever at international level, despite an impressive scoring record.

He was the Selecao’s joint top-scorer in World Cup qualifying, with eight goals which was just one fewer than Argentina’s Crespo, but more is expected and a criticism often raised is that he shows only flashes of his great ability.

With Ronaldo’s fitness in real doubt ahead of the finals, Rivaldo must now show he is ready to take on the mantle of the team’s driving force.

He admits: ‘‘There’s no money in the world that can compete with being a world champion.’’

As one of the highest earners in football, he is more aware than most of that particular paradox.

Born Vitor Barbosa Pereira in the north of Brazil, he was reportedly so under-nourished as a child that his milk teeth rotted away.

He would often walk the 10-mile journey to the local football school, but now sends his children to an elite English-speaking school in Barcelona, just minutes away from their plush apartment.

Success at that level means Rivaldo need never play again and will always be idolised by the ‘Blaugrana’ faithful, but it would be something else to follow in the steps of Pele, Jairzinho and the great Brazilians by becoming a World Cup winner.

He made his first impact on the game with Sao Paulo team Corinthians, before moving across town to join Palmeiras where he won his first Brazilian championship in 1994.

With a left foot unmatched by any in the modern game, Rivaldo has all the traits of a great Brazilian; terrific balance, outstanding ability at dead-ball situations and a brain geared to destroying defences.

He came to Europe in 1996 when John Toshack brought him to Deportivo La Coruna.

There, playing alongside compatriot Mauro Silva, Donato and Flavio Conceicao, he hit a league-leading 21 goals in his first season.

Deportivo were unable to keep him from moving to the Nou Camp when Bobby Robson offered £15million as he sought a replacement for Inter Milan-bound Ronaldo.

Barca won the Primera Liga in Rivaldo’s first season and secured a second title the following year when he received FIFA’s recognition.

The 30-year-old’s international career began in December 1993, but he failed to make the Brazil squad for USA 94 or the Copa America a year later.

He returned for the Atlanta Olympics, but eventual champions Nigeria dumped Brazil out of the competition in the semi-finals.

In the rounds up to the 1998 World Cup final, Rivaldo scored three times.

He was also voted onto the FIFA All-Star team, but the 3-0 defeat by France in the final meant such success was trivial.

Brazil, with Rivaldo, did win the Copa America in 1999. But their near-failure to reach this World Cup raised alarm bells.

Anyone fortunate to have seen his hat-trick on the last day of the 2000-1 season, however, realised they were watching a special footballer.

With Barca needing victory against Valencia to qualify for the Champions League, he smashed in two long-range strikes before thumping a last-minute overhead kick beyond Santiago Canizares.

The treble made worldwide headlines with many branding it the best hat-trick ever scored.

Such sparkle has been infrequent though and it may need to be produced match-in, match out, should Brazil harbour real hopes of leaving Yokohoma’s International Stadium on June 30 final day with anything other than ticket stubs.