The former Seleção midfielder has admitted his dismay at the national team"s dearth of attacking options.
Rivelino suggested that Brazil now lack strikers with the ability to beat opposition defences single-handedly.
Speaking to Reuters, the 1970 World Cup winner said: “Brazil always had great attackers who could decide a game at any moment. If you go back, in 1958 it was Pele and Vava; [and the same players again] in 1962; in 1970, Pele and Tostao. Then Bebeto and Romario [in 1994] and then Rivaldo and Ronaldo [in 2002].
“And there were other players alongside them. But there were two important players, one or the other was always on hand. Today we have one, Fred, who has a nose for goal, but the ball has to come to him, he doesn’t make goals himself."
The Brazil coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, is expected to name Fluminense"s Fred and Jô of Atlético Mineiro as the front men in his World Cup squad this Wednesday.
