Gomes happy to make way for Cesar

After standing in for the warm-up friendlies against Zimbabwe and Tanzania, Gomes said he was more than happy to make way again for first choice Julio Cesar, who is seen as certain to return after a minor back injury.

"I hope I'm not needed because Julio deserves to play a World Cup," the Tottenham Hotspur player told reporters.

"Julio is the best keeper in the world, thanks to what he has done and thanks to what he has won," added Gomes, expressing an opinion which is widely shared in the football world. There are a lot of good goalkeepers, but not all of them win major competitions."

Julio Cesar's dominance of the position is so great that he played in every minute of Brazil's 18-match World Cup qualifying competition and coach Dunga had not even bothered testing an alternative in the warm-up friendlies until he was injured. Gomes, who has won six caps, accepted the situation. "I don't consider myself to be in his shadow and and people who follow me know what I have done for this opportunity," he said.