Ronaldo during a training session in Konigstein

Berlin: Brazil set course for what could be their sixth World Cup title ? twice as many as any other country ? when they play Croatia at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday.

Opponents seem honoured to share the field with them, too. “This match can certainly be like no other,” Croatia midfielder Igor Tudor said. “I have been thinking about it for months now and I never do that.”

Does that mean the Croatians, who made the semi-finals at France ’98, have the wrong mind-set for the game? Do Brazil own the three points before the first kickoff?

“Soccer is an unpredictable sport and the World Cup has shown there can be surprises,” Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar said. “So there is no reason why we cannot pull off a surprise ourselves.”

Brazil’s roster is loaded, so much so that all of their bench players are capable of starting for other nations in the 32-team field.

At the very top of the list are the superstars: Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cafu ? in his fourth World Cup ? and Robert Carlos.

“We can’t wait to begin,” Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. “We’ve been living the same routine for the past 20 days. Everybody is just crazy to begin competing.”

Croatia want to maintain their reputation as a small nation that spring big upsets. Croatia upset three-time champion Germany 3-0 in a quarter final at their maiden World Cup in 1998.

Four years later, the Croatians beat Italy ? another three-time champion ? 2-1 in the group stage.

Although Croatia are bracing for the worst against the defending champions, coach Zlatko Kranjcar said his country revels in the role of underdog and that Brazil had better watch out.

Kranjcar is confident his line-up has been solidly rebuilt and a new crop of players will adequately replace the “golden generation.” However, critics believe the team is too thin in midfield, where Kranjcar’s 21-year-old son Niko is considered the supreme playmaker.

Rangers forward Dado Prso stands out in the side, with exceptional dribbling skills and a knack for setting up goals as well as scoring them.

Despite all the bravado, Kranjcar concedes that his team is looking beyond Brazil and hoping to book their ticket to the next round with wins over Japan and Australia.

PROBABLE TEAMS

Brazil: 1-Dida, 2-Cafu, 3-Lucio, 4-Juan, 6-Roberto Carlos, 5-Emerson, 11-Ze Roberto, 8-Kaka, 10-Ronaldinho, 9-Ronaldo, 7-Adriano.