Brazil coach Dunga backed his young players to cope with the differing
pressures of stardom after their 1-0 friendly win over Sweden last night.
Debutant Alexandre Pato and Manchester United youngster Anderson were among
the inexperienced second-half substitutes who helped to turn the game in
Brazil's favour at the Emirates Stadium.
But while AC Milan forward Pato - who scored the game's only goal - was given
a hero's reception by a large Brazilian following, Anderson received far less
hospitable treatment.
Large sections of Arsenal fans booed his every touch, but he still showed some
of the skills which have excited the Old Trafford faithful this season.
And Dunga was impressed with the way he shrugged off the jeers of the crowd.
He said: 'Because he plays with Manchester United there is some feeling
there, but it is not because of the football that he played.
'He showed his personality. He showed that his characteristics are strong.
'If he didn't rise to the challenge then it would be a problem for him.'
Pato is facing a different challenges as, at the age of 18, he is already
approaching superstardom.
The attention he receives from the Brazilian media is huge, but Dunga has
backed him to keep his feet on the ground.
'He is young for this sort of thing, and also because the media is always on
top of him,' he said.
'But he's a humble, modest person, he keeps working.
'People shout and applaud because he's new - at the moment he's a new thing;
it's a novelty.
'When somebody scores a goal everybody talks about it. You don't hear a lot
about the other who also got into the rhythm of the game.
'The person who gets the goal gets the limelight, but everybody has a place
and everybody plays his role.'
Dunga may now find it hard to leave Pato out of his starting XI with World Cup
qualifiers against Paraguay and Argentina on the horizon in June, as well as the
Olympics later in the summer.
But Dunga knows he could have another megastar on his hands, and even compared
the youngster to former world player of the year Ronaldo.
'He knows how to score a goal,' he said. 'Pato is in the style of Ronaldo,
although he's a bit more timid.
'But they're players who participate, they do what you ask them and you give
them some room to be creative and play their game.'
