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Romario stays silent

Romario has stirred public passion

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Striker Romario is keeping quiet following his exclusion from Brazil's World Cup squad.

But pressure is being heaped on coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. The newspaper Jornal dos Sports labelled him "public enemy number one", saying he had "declared war on the fans."

Romario, 36, did not appear for reporters on Tuesday -- a day after the World Cup squad was announced -- following a training session at his club Vasco da Gama, where he has been averaging a goal a game this season.

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His spokesman Fernando Santana said the striker had gone to see a doctor a back pain but was happy and fully fit

"His mood is better than I would have been expected," Santana told Reuters

The storm should not unsettle Scolari, nicknamed "Felipao", or Big Phil.

He had made no secret that Romario was not part of his plans for Japan and South Korea, despite supporters' demands.

Scolari, who had been jostled by Romario fans in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, defended his selection saying: "I picked these players because I think they're right for this job -- nobody will make me change my mind."

"I'm sorry for those athletes who have been left out but I can only pick 23. Win or lose it's my choice -- I prefer to be the scapegoat and do it my way than do it someone else's way," he told Reuters.

"If I don't win, I'm dead meat in any case. My duty is to win. We don't have a second-place culture in this country."

The coach will have been cheered by a TV station's poll of more than 8,000 people, taken after the squad was named, that showed 63 percent thought Brazil would win the World Cup.

In 11 months as coach, Scolari has picked Romario just once. That was in July's 1-0 World Cup qualifier defeat to Uruguay.

Romario, the hero of the victorious 1994 World Cup, has been in sparkling form for Vasco da Gama and his supporters hoped he would earn the chance to star in a third World Cup.

Also out is Deportivo La Coruna midfielder Djalminha who last week headbutted his coach during a training session at the Spanish club.

Romario scored five goals in the 1994 finals but was left out four years ago in France.

Meanwhile doubts remain over the fitness of Barcelona striker Rivaldo. He was forced to miss both legs of the European Champions League semifinal defeat to Real Madrid with a knee injury.

On Monday Barcelona doctor Ricard Pruna told Reuters he would be fit to start the World Cup but may not last the whole tournament.

Squad

Goalkeepers Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo), Marcos (Palmeiras), Dida (Corinthians)

Defenders Cafu (AS Roma), Belletti (Sao Paulo), Junior (Parma), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid), Lucio (Bayer Leverkusen), Roque Junior (AC Milan), Anderson Polga (Gremio), Edmilson (Olympique Lyon)

Midfielders Gilberto Silva (Atletico Mineiro), Emerson Ferreira (AS Roma), Juninho Paulista (Flamengo), Kaka (Sao Paulo), Kleberson (Atletico Paranaense), Vampeta (Corinthians), Ronaldinho Gaucho (Paris St Germain)

Forwards Ronaldo (Inter Milan), Luizao (Gremio), Edilson (Cruzeiro), Denilson (Real Betis), Rivaldo (Barcelona)