Carlos Alberto calls heads to win

Carlos Alberto led Brazil to glory in the 1970 World Cup

Carlos Alberto, captain of the legendary 1970 World Cup-winning team, is confident Brazil can again claim glory by beating Germany in Sunday's final.

But he told BBC Radio Wales they will have to nullify the Germans' aerial threat if they are to clinch their fifth world crown.

When the two teams face each other - for the first time ever in a World Cup - it will finally be a clash of the tournament's big hitters.

Germany are professors of the high ball

Former Brazil captain Carlos Alberto

Both nations have reached the final six times - with Brazil winning four times (in 1958, '62, '70 and '94) and Germany three ('54, '74, '90).

The Brazil team that triumphed in Mexico in 1970, destroying Italy 4-1, is regarded as the greatest football team of all time.

Pele, Jairzinho, Tostao and Rivelino are revered the world over, as well as the man who captained them to glory - Carlos Alberto.

Pele tips Brazil for glory

The man who struck Brazil's fourth goal against Italy in the Azteca Stadium is confident that they can win it again, even though the current side is not regarded as vintage.

"I'm not surprised because Brazil always have a chance of making the final," Carlos Alberto told Radio Wales' The Back Page programme.

He believes that Brazil have made the final because the individual skills of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho have made the difference.

Thomas Berthold is a veteran of two World Cups

"When things get difficult they can decide the game - like Ronaldo in the semi-final against Turkey.

"He's not in good shape but in one play he decided the game for Brazil."

Yet despite praising the attacking players, Carlos Alberto revealed that of the current crop, probably only goalkeeper Marcos and dynamic left wing-back Roberto Carlos would make it into the 1970 side.

Carlos Alberto is relying on these two players in particular to hold out against the aerial bombardment he expects Germany to launch.

"We're scared about the high ball from Germany - they are teachers, they are professors of the high ball - they score a lot of goals with the head."

What is certain, though, is that Germany are more worried about what Brazil can do to them.

If Brazil in 2002 are not considered as good as their predecessors, then this Germany side are a pale imitation of what has gone before.

Thomas Berthold played in two World Cup finals for Germany, losing to Argentina in 1986 at the Azteca, but gaining revenge over the South Americans four years later in Italy's Stadio Olimpico.

The former defender, in common with many other observers, cannot quite work out how Germany have managed to make the final with this team.

Without Oliver Kahn the World Cup would already be finished for Germany

Thomas Berthold

"We are all surprised that Germany are in the final... it's a World Cup with a lot of surprises," he admitted.

Berthold agrees with Carlos Alberto that Brazil are the favourites because they have individuals who can turn a game, but feels that Germany do have certain advantages.

"You have a team without big stars but everybody is doing his job - especially Oliver Kahn who has made some great saves.

"Without him the World Cup story would probably already be finished for Germany."

Berthold compared Kahn to the great Sepp Maier, who held a Johan Cruyff-inspired Holland at bay as Germany won 2-1 on home soil in the 1974 final.

On that day in the Olympia Stadium the more talented Dutch side, the creators of "total football", found themselves out-fought by an obstinate Germany.

On Sunday, Brazil will be hoping that the Germans will not confound the odds once again.