Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira paid tribute to Croatia's stubborn performance as the holders got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start.
The 57 year-old coach, who led Brazil to a fourth World Cup title in 1994, will be in charge of the team till the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira believes hosts Germany rather than his own team are favourites to win the World Cup.
"I think Germany and Italy are just as much favourites as we are," said the Brazil coach.
There is only one team in the world which can rest high profile players and still win.
Brazil have agreed to give Adriano time off from their Confederations Cup build-up.
Brazil's coach is confident his team will do well against Portugal.
Ronaldo has been recalled by Brazil for this month's match against France which coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has described as the "game of the year".
Coach Parreira counted 27 scoring chances for Brazil which suggested to him that they had done more than enough to win against Uruguay.
The AC Milan striker is likely to step-in for injured Ronaldinho in Brazil's 2006 World Cup qualifier against Peru.\n\n
'In Brazil when the national team loses the coach is to blame so I believe we will follow this script once again,' said Parreira.
Saudi Arabia coach Juan Antonio Pizzi described a "feeling of shame" after his side suffered a 5-0 hammering at the hands of hosts Russia in the World Cup's opening game at the Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday.
Brazil's Olympic women's football team was showered with joyous attention until their heart-breaking semi-final elimination on Tuesday which brought forward a key question: Was the interest the start of something big or another false dawn?
Atletico Madrid's Brazil-born forward Diego Costa has signed a formal letter stating his wish to play for adopted country Spain, ending a tug-of-war between the two powerhouses over the in-form 25-year-old.