By LEE BRYAN
Ronaldinho has been named in Brazil’s 20-man squad for the friendly against England at Wembley.
The glamour game will kick off the FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations on February 6 and the squad was revealed by Chelsea defender David Luiz, who will be one of the players involved.
And the showpiece will have a suitably stellar cast with the return to international football of the two-time world footballer of the year.
Ronaldinho, 32, will have been absent from the Brazil team for a year by the time the match kicks off in February after being frozen out by former Manolo Menezes, who was sacked in November.
But the former Barcelona and AC Milan star was picked for the Brasilerao team of the year recently after finding his form again with Atletico Mineiro.
Ronaldinho was not the only player recalled by new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, with QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar also brought in from the cold. Chelsea duo Ramires and Oscar complete the Premier League contingent.
England fans are also set to get a glimpse of superstar Santos forward Neymar and Barcelona duo Daniel Alves and Adriano.
Scolari, who led Brazil to their 2002 World Cup title and returned for a second stint in November, also left out Kaka and gave another chance to striker Luis Fabiano for the friendly next month.
Brazil are using the match as preparation for their participation in this summer’s Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup. Scolari has less than 18 months to build a team capable of winning a sixth world title for Brazil on home soil.
Matt Barlow – remember this?
The man who reduced David Seaman to tears in the 2002 World Cup will bring his flicks and feints to Wembley next month for Brazil’s friendly with England.
Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has recalled Ronaldinho to his squad at 32, seemingly at the expense of Kaka. Chelsea trio Oscar, Ramires and David Luiz are also included along with QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
Ronaldinho, who now plays for Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, was the starlet of Scolari’s team that won the World Cup in 2002, chipping Seaman to crush England in the quarter-finals, but his star has been in decline since five glorious years at Barcelona ended in 2008.
