The 'auriverde' arrived in Berlin on Monday ahead of Tuesday's Group F opener against Croatia amid a raft of rumours concerning the fitness of star forward and 2002 hero Ronaldo.

After supervising an afternoon training session in which former world player of the year Ronaldo and current incumbent Ronaldinho were on opposing sides Parreira said he was comfortable with his charges' status as clear favourites.

"Every game is a final - many teams that were favourites (in the past) have failed," asserted Parreira, who was the winning coach in 1994.

But he rejected any talk of the pressure getting to his players.

"The pressure comes from outside and doesn't hurt us," insisted Parreira.

The Brazilians have not lost an opening match for 64 years - Spain beat them in 1934 and they also lost their 1930 inaugural World Cup encounter to Yugoslavia.

They come into these finals, however, not only with by far the strongest squad on paper of the 32 participants but having won their last six openers.

"To win we have to play well every game and maintain a very high level But we are prepared and ready to grasp our opportunity.

Noting that Brazil's 1958 vintage was the last non-European side to win the trophy on the continent, Parreira said that "if one team is to break this (sequence) after so many years then this team is Brazil.

"But the competition is very tough."

On Ronaldo, who has suffered blisters and a fever since arriving in Germany last week and who endured an injury-ravaged and third consecutive trophyless season with Real Madrid, Parreira insisted the man who is a goal away from overhauling Pele as Brazil's top World Cup scorer is fine.

"He has so many things to do, he has the opportunity to break so many records at this tournament."

Ronaldo himself was not in loquacious mood Monday, striding past hordes of journalists with a brief "I'm fine" before disappearing out of earshot.

"He was two months recovering with Real from injury ... but he'll improve during the competition," insisted Parreira, who warned that Croatia "are a team who can give us a lot of trouble."

"It's going to be a very open, very interesting game," he forecast.

Ronaldo's Real clubmate Roberto Carlos said Brazil were ready to take on the world.

"We're out to consolidate what we've been doing in the training ground. This is the bedding in phase but let's hope we can rise to the challenge."

Ronaldinho, diamond studs in his left ear spelling out the word Rio, said that "a lot will depend on how we start. There are other teams who are very competitive."

On Ronaldo's fitness for the campaign he was diplomatic.

"I don't want to say much about all that. Why not judge him on what he does on the pitch?"

If Brazil do defend their title Parreira said it would be many years before another country could hope to match their tally.

"It would be very difficult to surpass six wins, but we're not thinking about this," he said, suggesting that it might take a good half century before another country would likely be able to catch up, if ever.