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Yosua Arya

Ronaldo & Rivaldo visit Brazil national team camp as Joao Pedro admits feeling 'pressure' to emulate 2002 World Cup heroes

Brazil
J. Pedro
Brazil vs Croatia
Friendlies
World Cup

The iconic duo of Ronaldo and Rivaldo made a surprise appearance at Brazil’s training base to inspire a squad currently struggling for form. As the Selecao face growing scrutiny following a 2-1 friendly defeat to France, Chelsea forward Joao Pedro has admitted that the weight of the nation's 2002 World Cup success remains a heavy burden for the modern generation.

  • Icons return to the training pitch

    The arrival of Ronaldo and Rivaldo comes at a delicate time for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who are searching for rhythm following a disappointing 2-1 friendly defeat to France.

    The legendary pair, who spearheaded Brazil's last global triumph 24 years ago, watched on as the current crop prepared for their next friendly against Croatia.The presence of these icons serves as a stark reminder of the high standards expected every time the famous yellow shirt is worn.

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  • The heavy weight of history

    Chelsea forward Pedro is under no illusions regarding the expectations placed on the modern Brazil squad. Speaking to ESPN Brazil, the 24-year-old said: "Back in the day we had Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Romario, but if you look at football today, Brazil has players like that. There's Vini at Real Madrid, Raphinha at Barcelona, me and Estevao [Willian] at Chelsea, and Andrey, too. They all play for top clubs. What is a bother is that it's been a long time since Brazil won a World Cup. We're the greatest national team in the world, and when you go without winning for a long time, that pressure builds up."

  • Bridging the gap between club and country

    A major frustration for fans remains the inability of stars like Vinicius Junior and Raphinha to replicate their prolific club form on the international stage. While Pedro has excelled in England with 14 goals and eight assists for Chelsea in the Premier League this season, translating that efficiency to the national team has proven difficult for the entire attacking unit.

    "We're getting to know each other better," Pedro explained. "I play in England, Vini plays in Spain, and Raphinha is at another club. We need to be training together just as we do at our clubs, where we spend the whole year. With the national team, you do things differently to how you do them at your club, so you need to adapt quickly. With more training time, things start to run more smoothly. Things will start to click soon enough."

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    What comes next?

    The challenge for Ancelotti has intensified following news that Raphinha will sidelined for five weeks with a hamstring injury. With Neymar still struggling to return to full fitness and not included in the squad this time, the responsibility to lead the line now falls heavily on Pedro for Tuesday’s clash against Croatia in Orlando. In the upcoming World Cup, Brazil have been drawn in Group C with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland.