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By David McDonnell
Cristiano Ronaldo insists Portugal have no fear of Brazil ahead of today's World Cup showdown between the two arch rivals.
Ronaldo believes Portugal's 7-0 demolition of North Korea has given Carlos Queiroz's side the belief that they can overcome the tournament favourites and finish top of Group G.
Spain lie in wait for Portugal or Brazil in the last 16, although with the Euro 2008 champions not in action until tonight, neither side will know whether finishing first or second in the group will enable them to avoid them.
But former Manchester United star Ronaldo said Portugal are determined to send out a message to the rest of the field in South Africa, by subjecting Brazil to their first defeat of the tournament.
"We fear nobody," said Ronaldo. "After the performance we gave against North Korea, we believe we can overcome Brazil. And it's not often that we have been in a position to say that. Before we played North Korea, everybody asked about a lack of goals.
"People said that I couldn't score because I had been made captain, and people said the team would struggle to score. But they're not asking those same questions now. We're not playing Brazil just to lose.
"We're playing them to win and to show people what we are capable of achieving at this World Cup. Playing Brazil will be a complicated game against the best team in the world. But this Portugal team believes in itself and we feel we can play well against them."
Portugal's task in beating Brazil is put in context when examining their record against the five-times world champions, which contains just four wins in 18 encounters, including a 6-2 thrashing the last time the two sides met, in Brasilia in November 2008.
There is a fierce rivalry between the two nations, with the fact there are three Brazil-born players - Deco, Pepe and Liedson - in the Portugal squad giving the potentially epic encounter another intriguing edge.
Read more at:http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/World-Cup-Brazil-v-Portugal-preview-Cristiano-Ronaldo-says-seven-up-stars-can-beat-Brazil-and-anyone-else-article492689.html
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