14/04/2004
Edu named in Brazil squad, Ronaldo rested

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 13 (Reuters) - Arsenal midfielder Edu was one of four uncapped players named in the Brazil squad on Tuesday for this month's friendly in Hungary while Real Madrid striker Ronaldo was rested.

Edu, who has recently been quoted as saying he would consider playing for England if Brazil continued to overlook him, is in line for his first cap along with AS Roma full-back Mancini and German-based defenders Bordon and Dede.

Ronaldo, who is expected to be out of action for two weeks with a hamstring injury, was excluded from the match in Budapest on doctor's orders, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.

"This is his second injury in around one month, he has played 70 games already this season and we don't want to take any risks," said Parreira.

"We want to preserve his health. He's not being dropped," added Parreira, who said he wanted Ronaldo fully fit for June, when Brazil face World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Chile.

The world champions will be attempting to end a run of four successive draws -- the last two of them goalless -- and beat Hungary for the first time in the April 28 match.

The two sides have met four times with three draws and a win for Hungary at the infamous 1954 World Cup match dubbed "The Battle of Berne."

Parreira has been under increasing pressure to include Edu and Mancini and he said the Hungary match was the perfect chance to experiment.

"This will give us the chance to bring in some players who we've been observing for a while and who have been waiting for a chance," he said.

Parreira denied he had been swung by reports that Edu would consider playing for England. "That never came into it," he said.

Volatile Sao Paulo striker Luis Fabiano, one of the top Brazilians still in his homeland, was also included along with Cruzeiro playmaker Alex.

Squad:

Goalkeepers - Marcos (Palmeiras), Dida (AC Milan, Italy)

Defenders - Cafu (AC Milan), Mancini (AS Roma, Italy), Dede (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid, Spain), Bordon (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Juan (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Lucio (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Roque Junior (Siena, Italy)

Midfielders - Edmilson (Olympique Lyon, France), Edu (Arsenal, England), Julio Baptista (Sevilla, Spain), Alex (Cruzeiro), Renato (Santos), Felipe (Flamengo), Juninho Permanbucano (Olympique Lyon, France), Ze Roberto (Bayern Munich, Germany), Kaka (AC Milan)