Eleven months ago the prospect of Greece playing Brazil [Images] in a major competition was as unthinkable as Greece winning the European Championship.

Next Thursday the European champions will start their Confederations Cup campaign in Germany [Images] against World Cup holders Brazil.

"How often do you get to play Brazil?" Greece coach Otto Rehhagel said recently.

"Even to hold just a friendly match you have to pay a lot of money to get them, so for us it is a great opportunity to be drawn in the same group as them. We have a lot to learn from this tournament."

Greece, who have played Brazil only once in the past -- a friendly 0-0 draw in Rio de Janeiro in 1974 -- travel to Germany with their 2006 World Cup qualification still in the balance.

After a shaky start to their campaign last year, the Greeks are battling to maintain their momentum and slipped to third place in European Group Two after losing 1-0 at home to leaders Ukraine on Wednesday.

Come the Confederations Cup, most of the players will have competed almost non-stop for 22 months, including two league seasons, last year's European championships and the Athens Olympics [Images] soccer tournament.

Only injured defender Traianos Dellas will get much-needed rest ahead of the final cluster of World Cup qualifiers later this year.

BIGGEST UPSET

Captain Theodoros Zagorakis and Giorgos Karagounis may even have to fly south to Italy [Images] during the tournament to play in relegation play-offs and the Italian Cup final respectively.

Greece will also play Mexico and Japan [Images] in their group.

A year after causing the biggest upset in international football history little has changed in the domestic league but nothing is the same for the players.

Many were signed by big European clubs after their success in Portugal and more will move abroad later this year.

Defender Yourkas Seitaridis last week became the richest Greek player in history when he signed a 10-million-euro, five-year deal with Dynamo Moscow [Images].

Midfielders Angelos Basinas and Costas Katsouranis could also be on their way out of the Greek league soon.

More than half of the 23 players who will travel to Germany are playing abroad and some nine foreign-based players are in the starting eleven, a fact not lost on Rehhagel.

"These boys play in competitive leagues across Europe and this experience is vital for the team," he said.

After the Confederations Cup, Greece will need that experience in the remaining three World Cup qualifiers to book a spot for Germany and make Rehhagel's soccer dream, probably his last at the age of 67, come true.

"My greatest dream is to go with my boys to Germany for the World Cup," he said.

After playing Brazil in their opening Group B match in Leipzig on Thursday, Greece meet Japan in Frankfurt on June 19 and Mexico in Frankfurt on June 22.

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