Ronaldo in fitness fight

Ronaldo has admitted his World Cup exertions have caught up with him.

The Brazilian striker, joint leading scorer in the World Cup with five goals, was substituted with a painful thigh in the second-half of Brazil’s 2-1 triumph over England.

He has been undergoing intensive physiotherapy treatment since as well as taking anti-inflammatory tablets in a bid to face Turkey in the semi-final on Wednesday.

He was hoping to train for the first time since last Thursday at Saitama stadium this evening here but admitted: ‘‘I went two years without playing and now we have played a lot of games in a short space of time I’m more tired than the others.

‘‘But I’m fine, I’m recovering and in two or three days I will be better.’’

Ronaldo has been plagued by injuries for the best part of two and a half years, undergoing two operations on his right knee and suffering three muscular injuries in quick succession.

He played only a handful of games for Italian club Inter Milan last season and Brazil’s friendly against Yugoslavia in March was his first international since October 1999.

At the World Cup he has played five games in 17 days and scored five goals.

Team doctor Jose Luis Runco has refused to confirm that the two-time FIFA World Footballer of the Year would play against the Turks. Runco, however, said the pain had subsided.

‘‘It has been a good World Cup with a lot of surprises and great goals,’’ added Ronaldo in a Japanese television interview.

‘‘I hope it finishes even better.’’

Meanwhile, Rivaldo, who scored Brazil’s first goal against England and has also scored five in the tournament, has spoken about his sadness at the criticism he received from Brazilian fans prior to the World Cup.

‘‘I’m happy with the way I’m playing because I went through some difficult moments but I always had confidence in myself,’’ he said.

‘‘A lot of things were said. There were even jokes and all sorts of comments about my knee and this made me a bit sad.

‘‘I worked very hard but people didn’t realise and they criticised me. They said I was crocked and another player should be picked.’’