Brazil captain Cafu said on Wednesday that he wanted to emulate Pele by playing in his third World Cup winning team and his fourth finals.

Cafu, who is in the squad for Sunday's opening World Cup qualifier away to Colombia, said that the possibility of chasing Pele's records kept him motivated.

"How could I not be motivated if I'm equalling Pele's records for Brazil and I could even beat them," he said.

"Football is my motivation."

Cafu played in the Brazil team which beat Italy on penalties after a goalless draw in the 1994 World Cup final, lost 3-0 to France four years later and captained the side which beat Germany 2-0 to win a fifth world title in 2002.

He will be 36 when the 2006 World Cup is played and is already the only player to have taken part in three World Cup finals.

Pele won World Cup winners medals in 1958, 1962 and 1970, although he missed the 1962 final against Czechoslovakia because of injury.

He also played in 1966 when Brazil were knocked out in the first round.

"I want to play the same number of World Cups as Pele and increase my number of caps for the team," Cafu added.

Brazil begin the defence of their crown in Barranquilla on Sunday and are at home to Ecuador three days later.

They will play 18 qualifiers over the next two-and-a-half years as they attempt to maintain their record as the only country to have played at every World Cup tournament.

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