Brazil national team coach Carlos Alberto Parreira faces a dilemma as the FIFA World Cup looms over the football world. Of course, he has a plight that any manager in the world would kill to have.  You see, he has too many weapons at his disposal. 

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Parreira plays something like a 2-2-2-4, with fullbacks Roberto Carlos and Cafu (possibly Cicinho) given full license to rampage up and down the flanks at will.  Gilberto Silva and Emerson will almost certainly start in front of the defense, which leaves the four attacking players.

The attacking midfield positions will probably feature Kaka, although after a storming start to the season, petered out near the end, but showed a toughness thought not possible of him against Barcelona in the Champions League.  The other place will go to, barring injury and the apocalypse, the world’s best player in Ronaldinho, who should have even more confidence (if that is even necessary) after winning the Champions League with Barca.  But, lying in the wings is Lyon playmaker Juninho, possibly the best dead-ball striker in the world and a starter for any other country.  Juninho will also be boosted by a title win, with the consecutive-five-time French champions, so do not be surprised if he starts a game or two, or at the very least, 45 minutes.

The forwards are the biggest “problem” to Parreira.  Ronaldo has been attacked, lambasted, booed, and whistled at the Bernabeu all year long with Madrid, and it has led to his probable exit from the club.  But Ronaldo is a different man when he puts on the Brazil shirt, and he will be determined to break Gerd Muller’s World Cup record of 14 goals, of which he is two goals short with 12.  He won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup, and always seems to shine for his country.  Adriano also had a rough domestic season with Inter Milan, but he also turns it up a notch for his country, winning Best Player and leading scorer at the 2005 Confederations Cup.  Then there is the small matter of 20 year old starlet Robinho, who like Juninho, would walk straight into any other starting eleven in the world.

I’m sure somewhere there are, at least, 31 other managers pitying Parreira and his predicament right now.