Bend it like Bebeto

By Steve Kingstone BBC Correspondent in Brazil

Under miserable skies the young hopefuls of Resende FC turn out for football practice.

It is a modest club, 150km (93 miles) from Rio de Janeiro, the kind of place where youngsters train hard and dream of joining the long list of Brazilian soccer legends such as Pele, Ronaldo and Bebeto.

Brothers Zeshan and Arfan hope to make their mark at Resende FC

But two of the players are not quite what they seem.

"I was born in Pakistan, moved to England in 1994 and came here on holiday last year," says 19-year-old Mohammed Arfan Akram.

"My brother and I played in a trial game and they asked us to come back."

Arfan and 18-year-old Mohammed Zeshan moved to Brazil after completing their A-level exams.

Over the next year they hope to play for Resende's first XI and then, perhaps, move on to a bigger club.

"From a football point of view things couldn't be better," smiles Zeshan.

"The English game can be too fast and furious. Here they're more relaxed. They sit back and let the other team do the hard work."

Fast-moving style

The brothers had their first taste of Brazilian soccer while still in England. In between their A-level studies they attended a Leeds-based academy specialising in Futebol de Salao.

Originating in Brazil, the game is a fast-moving style of football which emphasises ball control and passing skills.

Our diet has been a bit of a problem - you don't find too many Halal butchers in Resende Arfan Akram

It was there that Arfan and Zeshan made the contacts that brought them to Resende.

Their new environment presents a number of challenges, mostly off the pitch.

"We don't speak Portuguese," says Arfan, "and our diet has been a bit of a problem too. We're strict Muslims - and you don't find too many Halal butchers in Resende."

Joking aside, Arfan and Zeshan take their religion extremely seriously. A copy of the Koran sits proudly in the living room of their rented apartment.

'Still learning'

They pray five times a day.

"Islam is our way of life for us," says Zeshan. "It keeps us on the right path. It's no more difficult to follow here than anywhere else."

Back on the pitch the brothers come under the watchful gaze of Merica, Resende's coach.

"These boys are good," he grins. "They have solid technique and, like most English players, they're strong. And who knows, what they learn here may help them to join a big club back home."

In Brazil we have lots of tricks to teach them Rafael

The brothers' team-mates are equally generous.

"They're very good players," says Rafael, a cheerful striker who speaks English. "But they can get a lot better here. In Brazil we have lots of tricks to teach them."

To emphasise the point he flicks up the ball with his heel and catches it on the back of his neck.

As the training session winds down it's clear that the newcomers are capable of holding their own - even if the Brazilians are not quaking in their boots just yet.

"We're still learning," admits Arfan, "and just want to do the best we can here.

"If things don't work out we'll go back to university in Leeds. And four more years of hard work."