Results come first for Roberto Carlos

Brazil full-back Roberto Carlos hopes the world champions will play more exhilarating football in the knockout stages of the World Cup – but insisted results will always come first.

Their 4-1 win over Japan in their final Group F match saw the South Americans raise their level several notches from their two opening performances against Croatia and Australia, which had attracted some criticism.

Next up for Brazil is a World Cup last-16 date with Ghana and the 33-year-old hopes there will be more excitement in store for the fans of the five-time World Cup winners.

“I like good football because I’m Brazilian,” said Roberto Carlos, a member of the winning team of 2002.

“But you can’t always put on a show when you play football – you can only play as well as the circumstances of the game allow.

“We always try and play good football but the most important thing of all is to get the right result. We play football to make people happy.

“Results make people happy and its important to play well but it’s also important not to concede goals.”