Brazil throw weight behind labouring Ronaldo

BRAZIL WILL thrust under-fire striker Ronaldo straight back into World Cup action on the premise that he can’t perform any worse than he did against Croatia.

Head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has called for support to be shown to the 29-year-old, who, four years ago, fired eight goals to win the World Cup’s Golden Boot.

But it is a call unlikely to be heeded in many quarters, with Ronaldo’s laboured performance against Croatia on Tuesday highlighted as one cause for the world champions’ sub-standard display.