Indian football fans give the final touches to a sand sculpture of Brazilian football star Ronaldinho [Images], in Kolkata.

Every four years when the football World Cup comes around, India puts aside its obsession with cricket to follow the football spectacle like the rest of the world.

Television viewership in India for past World Cups has been known to surpass that of football powerhouses like England [Images], Brazil [Images] and Argentina even though the country has never figured in the premier event.

Ronaldinho burst on to the international scene in a 1999 Copa America game against Venezuela when he scored a goal reminiscent of Pele's 1958 famous World Cup final effort.

• Images: Brazilians ready to Samba

Two minutes after coming on as a substitute for his second international appearance, the 19-year-old Ronaldinho flicked the ball over a defender, swept past another and fired the ball into the goal between goalkeeper Renny Vega and the near post.

It was clear that Brazil had unearthed another gem.

Seven years on, Ronaldinho is widely acclaimed as the world's best. No other player has such a wide range of tricks at his disposal and no other player seems to enjoy himself, as illustrated by Ronaldinho's trademark grin.

Yet there is still an underlying feeling in Brazil that something is missing from Ronaldinho's career.

Despite that spectacular goal in 1999 and his presence in the 2002 World Cup winning team, Ronaldinho has yet to perform at his very best for his country on a consistent basis.

There have been flashes of his brilliance but, as often as not, he has failed to meet expectations.

There is little doubt that his World Player of Year award in 2005 was achieved on the basis of what he did with Barcelona rather than Brazil, even allowing for his display in the Confederations Cup.

There is now a huge expectation on him to perform to those high standards in the finals in Germany [Images].

For Brazilians, who have been spoiled by the talents of Pele, Garrincha and Zico in the past, anything other than a great World Cup will be seen as a let-down.

Photograph: AFP/Getty Images