Brazil: Ronaldo

Whatever you call him - Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima as it says on his birth certificate, or Ronaldo, as we know him - he is back and ready to banish the nightmare memories of his last World Cup game.

The South American giants crashed to a 3-0 defeat against hosts France in the 1998 World Cup final, sparking a chain of events that led to Ronaldo tumbling from his lofty position as the gifted 1998 World Player of the Year to the injury-plagued forgotten man of Brazil.

Ronaldo played in the St Denis final despite suffering convulsions just hours before kick-off. The prolific striker was a shadow of his usual self and had a negligible effect on the showpiece event.

There followed weeks of argument and speculation over why he played when his name had earlier been missed off the team-sheet.

Ronaldo, who in 1997 had moved from Barcelona to Inter Milan in a then world-record £18million deal, returned to club football planning to shunt his career back on track.

However, that did not happen, as in November 1999, he suffered a knee injury, and in the Italian Cup final later that season he ruptured his knee ligaments.

The 25-year-old forward finally made his comeback for high-flying Serie A giants Inter Milan in early December 2001 - and the buck-toothed star is now determined to clinch his place in Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad.

The national team is desperate to impress in the Far East, both to erase thoughts of the France 98 final defeat and to bounce back from their incredibly nervy qualification for Japan and South Korea.

Brazil squeaked into the finals after losing six games. Their battle to qualify - usually a stroll - highlighted their problems in attack and defence.

Scolari will need a fully-fit and in-form Ronaldo if his side are to progress to the later stages of the competition.

Group C, containing Turkey, China and Costa Rica, should be a doddle, but Scolari must create far stronger team unity and belief if they are to come close to repeating their triumph at USA 94 or that runners-up spot at France 98.

Ronaldo's three-year stutter has interrupted a career characterised by astonishing scoring statistics.

The striker, born in Rio de Janeiro, blasted 36 goals in 54 games for second division side Sao Cristovao, and after plundering 58 strikes in 60 matches for first division Cruzeiro, he made his international debut for Brazil as a 17-year-old in a 2-1 victory over Argentina in March 1994.

He scored in his second Brazil appearance - the 3-0 victory against Iceland in May, and was a non-playing member of the World Cup-winning squad.

Ronaldo then moved to PSV Eindhoven for a club-record £5million and amassed an incredible 55 goals in 56 games, before switching to Barcelona, where he cracked 33 goals in 38 appearances.

He then joined Inter Milan and has been hampered by injury. However, Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima is now fit again and ready to lay the ghosts of France 98.