Brazil goes up against Ghana and the rest of Africa at the World Cup

The rest of Africa will be watching when Ghana face defending FIFA World Cup champions, Brazil.

African rivals have shown their support for Ghana's World Cup squad, with visits from star players and letters of support encouraging the Black Stars ahead of a second-round match with mighty Brazil.

''We have no rivals now. It's soccer. Africans are proud of Ghana making it to the World Cup. They support us,'' Ghana captain Stephen Appiah said. ''The other African teams were eliminated. Now we represent Ghana and Africa.''

If Ghana defeats Brazil on Tuesday, the would-be loss of the reigning World Cup champions would be the greatest victory in African soccer history and match the best Cup runs by an African side, the quarterfinal runs by Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002.

However, Brazilian superstar, Ronaldo Nazario begs to differ, whose goal is to win the World Cup. Nothing more, nothing less.

''My ambition is to win the Cup and if I score goals, even better. But I don't have this an obsession with becoming the World Cup's biggest goal-scorer, or with setting records,'' said Ronaldo, who helped his team destroy Japan, 4-1.

If Brazil beats Ghana in round 2 of this 2006 FIFA World Cup tournament in Germany, that will only be step 2 towards Brazil's goal of FIFA World Cup immortality and Ronaldo sure would want that other than any individual achievement he will get along the way.

''I am happy because I have reached 14 goals, and if I can improve it, all to the good,'' he added. ''I have rested and trained. I made good use of the rest day with my son Ronald and my family. Everything is coming out well,'' he said.

Speaking of the Brazil - Ghana face-off on Tuesday, some of each team's top players and the odds on who will draw first blood are featured on Bodog. Brazil has guys like Ronaldo, Robinho and Ronaldinho while Ghana has Stephen Appiah, Matthew Amoah and Sulley Muntari.

Who among them will draw first blood? Bet on Bodog today.