Brazil is up for this one

FOXBOROUGH - Brazilian midfielder Ronaldinho Gaucho's first appearance with FC Barcelona was in a 2004 exhibition at Gillette Stadium. Ronaldinho was hoping to have a couple of days to make the move from Paris to Spain, after being purchased for a transfer fee of 21.25 million pounds, but promoters of the Barcelona-Juventus game insisted he play.

Ronaldinho does not need such prodding to perform for Brazil against Mexico at Gillette Stadium tonight; he and his teammates are hoping to erase memories of the Selecao's disappointing performance in last year's World Cup, and this will be their final preparation match before 2010 qualifying begins next month.

"Everyone wants to play and take advantage of the opportunity and we hope everything goes well," Ronaldinho said yesterday. "It's an important game. We are taking it seriously and we want a victory. We respect all teams, and playing Mexico is always a difficult thing. This will get us ready for qualifying games."

This match has become the hottest soccer ticket in the area since the 1994 World Cup. Sales surpassed 60,000 yesterday and likely will surpass the stadium record for a soccer game of 61,316 for the 2002 MLS Cup. The participation of players such as Ronaldinho and AC Milan star Kaká has spurred interest.

Brazil has revamped its lineup in the last year. Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol president Ricardo Texeira accused players of partying their way through the World Cup and implied that coach Carlos Alberto Parreira had failed to discipline them. So he brought in former team captain Dunga as coach, and the team has made a transition to younger and, presumably, more purposeful players.

On this tour - a two-gamer that began with a 4-2 win over the US in Chicago Sunday - the only holdover starters from Germany are Juan, Lucio, Gilberto Silva, Kaká, and Ronaldinho.

Dunga is of German extraction, wears his hair close-cropped, military-style, and was known as a no-nonsense defensive midfielder during his playing career. Brazilians appreciated the pragmatism he embodied in winning the 1994 World Cup, but have been struggling to combine that with the fantasy of joga bonito (beautiful game) since. Luiz Felipe Scolari, like Dunga a disciplinarian from Rio Grande do Sul, did so successfully in winning the 2002 World Cup.

If yesterday's training session is an indication, Dunga appears to be on the way to finding an effective combination. The Brazilians played a half-field scrimmage for about 45 minutes with forwards in defensive positions and defenders attacking. The contest concluded with the winning group posing for pictures and gloating, midfielder Diego taking the lead in teasing the despondent losers.

Brazil begins qualifying against Colombia Oct. 14 in Bogota. But Mexico should provide a good test, the Mexicans having won four of the last eight encounters with Brazil (4-1-3), including a 2-0 victory in Copa America in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, in July and a 1-0 win in the 2005 Confederations Cup in Hannover, Germany.

"There were times when Brazil also won a lot against Mexico," Dunga said. "Recently, Mexico has had players playing outside the country and this helps. You have to be able to play good soccer in order to be paid, instead of playing for teams where they pat your head if you don't. And Mexico is better for that.

"The most important thing is qualification for the World Cup, but we are here to win."

Brazil leads the all-time series with an 18-6-6 record since 1950.

"They could take this game like revenge," Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez said of Brazil. "But we are going to show that it wasn't by chance that we beat Brazil twice in important games."

Brazil defender Lucio and forward Wagner Love were presented with team jerseys from the Bruins and Revolution after training. Bryan Byrne, Kyle Helton, Chris Loftus, and Wells Thompson made the exchange for the Revolution.

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.