Ronaldinho samples life on the bench with Brazil

By Brian Homewood

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Ronaldinho's first encounter with Brazil coach Dunga was when the two were on opposite sides during a derby in Porto Alegre in June 1999.

Ronaldinho, playing for Gremio, was a little-known goofy-grinned teenager in his first full year as a professional.

Dunga was a hard-nosed, seasoned international in the twilight of his career who had captained Brazil to two successive World Cup finals and was enjoying a final stint with Internacional, the club where he had started out.

Yet Ronaldinho gave Dunga one of the most torrid afternoons of his career, at one stage nutmegging his battle-scarred marker as, virtually single-handedly, he led Gremio to a 1-0 win in the final of the Rio Grande do Sul state championship.

Many feel that Dunga was never the same afterwards and he retired at the end of that year, halfway through his two-year contract with Internacional.

Seven years on, Ronaldinho is once again proving to be a handful for Dunga, even though the circumstances are very different and the two are now on the same side.

Dunga, now 43, has made an excellent start as Brazil coach as he attempts to rebuild the side following last year's miserable World Cup performance, leading his team to four wins and a draw in their first five outings.

He will defend that record against Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal in a friendly in London on Tuesday.

As expected for a man famed for his ruthless, never-say-die approach as a player, Dunga has not been afraid to make tough decisions.

Strikers Ronaldo and Adriano, who both underperformed in Germany, have been left out, although Adriano has finally been given a recall for the Portugal match.

PUBLIC DISILLUSIONED

Those decisions struck a chord with the Brazilian public, who were thoroughly disillusioned with the pair during the World Cup.

Dunga is treading on much thinner ice over his treatment of Ronaldinho, another of Brazil's so-called Magic Quartet.

After being left out of Dunga's first squad, the former Player of the Year has unceremoniously been dumped on the substitutes' bench.

Ronaldinho has started only one of Dunga's five full internationals in charge and has been told he will have to fight for his place in the team, just like the other players.