Romario gets past Hidalgo in the 1-1 draw between Peru and Brazil in April (Picture/Allsport)

Just how they managed to keep France off the number one spot in the World Rankings for so long is a question only the bureaucrats at FIFA headquarters can answer.

But current coach Emerson Leao believes his side can overcome their current troubles to reach Korea and Japan. In the words of my esteemed Soccernet colleague John Brewin, Brazil fans are praying it won't be a case of 'They think it's all over, it is Leao'!

'I'm very satisfied with my involvement with the Brazilian team and I intend to do it for a long time,' he said on Friday as he announced the final 23 players who will travel to Japan for the Confederations Cup.

'The difficulties have been bigger than I expected because in the last six months we have had results which haven't pleased us and more problems than I expected. But, even in hindsight, I would still accept the job because it's a pleasure and satisfaction to work with the Brazil team. I have never lost my optimism.'

Brazil have dropped to fourth in the South American World Cup qualifying group, from which only four teams go directly to Japan and South Korea, following defeats to Chile, Paraguay and Ecuador and last month's draw at home to Peru.

Ecuador remain one of the big threats to Brazil's qualification hopes, and the nation's Soccer Federation (FEF) have this week insisted that Hernan Dario Gomez is still coach of the national team despite his threat not to return to the country because he feared for his life after he was shot in the leg in early May.

FEF officials said on Wednesday that Gomez had not resigned but had handed temporary control of the team over to coordinator Vinicio Luna and captain Alex Aguinaga for the qualifier with Peru next month.

'The board of Ecuador's Soccer Federation has no intention of naming another coach for the team, because our coach is Hernan Dario Gomez,' FEF president Luis Chiriboga told reporters.

Gomez said earlier on Wednesday he feared returning to Ecuador after he was shot and had his nose broken in an attack early this month in a hotel lobby in the coastal city of Guayaquil. Police detained the president of Second Division club Santa Rita.

Gamarra goes tumbling over Pizzi of Spain during the last World Cup in France (StuForster/Allsport)

Finally in South America, Paraguay have suffered a serious blow for their next qualifier on Tuesday when they were forced to rule central defender Carlos Gamarra out of their game against Chile.

Gamarra, one of the world's top defenders, suffered a thigh muscle injury playing for his Brazilian club Flamengo against local rivals Vasco da Gama on Sunday and could be out of action for about one month.

'It's a great shame but he's been ruled out,' said coach Sergio Makarian, whose team lost their last game 2-1 away to Ecuador.

Gamarra was a key figure in the 1998 World Cup when Paraguay surprisingly reached the last 16, qualifying from their first round group at the expense of Spain. He completed four full games without committing a foul.

Meanwhile, Brazilian Rene Simoes, who guided Jamaica to the World Cup finals in France in 1998, has warned that he should not be expected to repeat the feat with Trinidad and Tobago.

'It will not be an easy task but there are seven matches remaining and, while the USA are way out front, the other teams are not beyond the reach of Trinidad and Tobago,' Simoes said.

After three games, Trinidad are languishing at the bottom of the standings in the final round of the CONCACAF qualifying competition with just one point. The United States head the table with nine points, followed by Costa Rica, Mexico and Jamaica all on four. Honduras lie fifth on two points. The top three teams qualify for the finals in Korea and Japan next year.

Over in Europe, striker Ionel Ganea, who swore this year he would never play for Romania again, has been included in the squad for qualifiers against Hungary and Lithuania after apologising to the coach.

Ganea, who plays for German First Division club VfB Stuttgart, had a row with national coach Ladislau Boloni after he played for only 20 minutes as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat by group eight leaders Italy in March.

Boloni accused him of a lack of professionalism, said the team did not a player like that and dropped him from the squad for the next qualifier, a 2-0 win away to Georgia. Ganea, whose 11 goals for Romania include the 89th-minute penalty which knocked England out of Euro 2000, later apologised to Boloni in an open letter.

However, midfielder Constantin Galca has pulled out of the squad, fuelling speculation he may quit the national team for good. Boloni said that Galca had given no reason for his decision, which follows media reports of a series of disputes between the two men.

'Galca sent us a fax announcing he would not be available for either of the matches,' Boloni said. 'He refrained from explaining why.'

Romanian Soccer Federation sources said Galca's decision was final, which would make him the fourth experienced international to quit in the past year after Gheorghe Hagi, Gheorghe Popescu and Dan Petrescu.

	Gocha Jamarauli (JamieMcDonald/Allsport)

Georgia's FC Zurich midfielder Gocha Jamarauli has ruled himself out of his country's next two qualifiers following a feud with coach Revaz Dzodzuashvili.

Dzodzuashvili had included Jamarauli in his 20-man squad for the matches in June but Jamarauli turned down the invitation. 'I will come to Tbilisi because I want to see my family and friends but I won't be playing,' Jamarauli told the local media on Wednesday.

Jamarauli also refused to join the squad for last month's home friendly against Israel after a row with Dzodzuashvili. 'I don't see any reason to join the team if I'll be wasting my time on the bench,' Jamarauli said at the time.

It's not been a busy week of action on the pitch, with mainly the Asian nations battling it out for a place in the second phase of qualifying.

Syria and Oman are head-to-head for the top spot in Group One, and the first meeting of the two finished in a 3-3 draw. Sayed Bayazid put the Syrians in front before Oman fought back to go 2-1 up through Mohammed Khamis and Hani Dhabit.

In a ding-dong match, Syria regained the lead through Mohannad Afash and Bashar Sourour, but seven minutes from time Majdi Shaaban earned the draw for Oman. The pair meet in the final group game on Friday, with Oman having to win to go through due to Syria's superior goal difference.

The other game in the group saw Laos beat the Philippines 2-0 thanks to goals from Phengta Phounsamay and Dalaphone.

The United Arab Emirates booked their place in round two by pipping Yemen to the top spot in Group Eight in the final game. The pair met with the Yemenis needing just a point to progress.

Saeed Hassan al-Kas put the UAE in front on 37 minutes - and that sparked a frantic period of play. Abdulsalam Ghalep equalised for Yemen only for Hassan al-Kas to restore the advantage moments later. Yaser Salem Saleh then increased the lead just before the interval. Adel Abdullah Ali pulled a goal back, but it was a mere consolation as the UAE won the day 3-2.

India rounded off their campaign with a 5-0 thumping of Brunei Darrusalam. Jules Alberto, I.M. Vijayan, Baichung Bhutia, Jo Paul Anchery and Abdul Hakim got the goals.

The other game in Asia came in Group Nine, where the Peoples' Republic of China all but booked their place in the next round. A 3-1 win over Cambodia means that they will win the group if they avoid defeat to Indonesia by more than five goals in Sunday's final game. China won the first meeting 5-1.

Ma Mingyu got China on their way against the Cambodians after only five minutes only for Chea Makara to level matters. But further goals from Xu Yunlong and Li Bin won the game.

The only other game this week came in Africa, where Tunisia and the Ivory Coast played out a 1-1 draw in Group D. The pair are battling head-to-head for a place in the finals.

Ibrahima Bakayoko put the Ivory Coast in front just after the half hour but five minutes into the second half Ziad Jaziri earned the draw. Tunisia hold a three point advantage at the top of the group, but the Ivory Coast have a game in hand. It's going to go right down to the wire.

This week the first round of Asian qualifying comes to a close. As already mentioned, Oman and Syria battle it out for the top of the table in Group One while China should book their place as well.

The real battle comes in Group 5. Thailand meet the Lebanon in Bangkok in a game which will do much to decide the group. With Pakistan and Sri Lanka proving to be easy pickings, Thailand are likely to need only a draw to win the group.

This week's games:

May 25 - Asia - Oman v Syria
May 26 - Asia - Pakistan v Lebanon
May 26 - Asia - Philippines v Laos
May 26 - Asia - Thailand v Sri Lanka
May 27 - Asia - Indonesia v China PR
May 28 - Asia - Sri Lanka v Lebanon
May 28 - Asia - Thailand v Pakistan
May 30 - Asia - Sri Lanka v Pakistan
May 30 - Asia - Thailand v Lebanon