Ronaldo is expected to be in good
physical condition when Brazil begins it pre-World Cup training this
week, the team's doctor said Monday.
"Ronaldo is not injured anymore," Dr. Jose
Luis Runco said. "He has been practicing normally for the past two weeks.
He is in good condition, just as the other players."
Ronaldo had several injuries in the beginning of the year, and he scored
only five goals in Real Madrid's first 19 matches.
His latest injury, a muscle ailment picked up during Spanish league play,
kept him sidelined for most of April.
"Ronaldo is fine now," Runco said after Brazil arrived in the lakeside
resort town for its two-week training camp. "He will be able to practice
normally."
All Brazilian players will undergo routine physical examinations on
Tuesday and Wednesday. The team's first practice session is scheduled
for Wednesday afternoon.
Runco said he expects Brazil's players to be in better shape this year
than before the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, when Brazil won
its fifth title.
"Before that World Cup we had problems with some players, including
Ronaldo and Rivaldo. They needed more attention than other players at
the time," Runco said. "This time, everyone is set to begin training on
time."
About 50 fans and nearly 200 journalists were on hand to watch the
defending World Cup champions arrive in Weggis on Monday.
Brazil will play two friendlies in Switzerland before the World Cup -
against FC Lucerne on May 30 in Basel and against New Zealand in Geneva
on June 4. The team will debut in Germany against Croatia on June 13. |
