Da Silva twins: If you think there's pressure on England to win the World Cup, it's nothing compared to what Brazil face...



England will arrive for their glamour friendly against Brazil in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium tonight with lofty ambitions of returning in a year’s time as World Cup hopefuls.



The grim reality, though, is that they face an uphill task even to qualify from their group.

But if Roy Hodgson’s team are feeling the weight of a nation’s unrealistic expectations, two young brothers who will be watching tonight’s game on television, high in the hills above Rio, insist that when it comes to pressure, England have it easy.

Weight: The twins claim they were born in a country where nothing less than the World Cup is acceptable

The real pressure, say the Da Silva twins Rafael and Fabio, of Manchester United, is being born in a country where nothing less than World Cup victory is acceptable — and a simple mistake can spell the end of a dream.

‘If 10 boys are born here, nine want to be a footballer,’ says Fabio. ‘And all 10 dads want their boys to be footballers.’

His brother agrees. ‘There is crazy pressure on Brazil, always,’ says Rafael. ‘And with the World Cup coming to our country, it’s even more.’

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Rafael knows better than most how crazy that pressure can be and the ramifications of a perceived failure to cope with it.



Brazil have won multiple World Cups, Confederations Cups and Copa Americas but never an Olympic football tournament. They had a chance in the final at London 2012 but an early underhit pass by Rafael led to Mexico’s opener and the Brazilians went on to lose 2-1. Their coach at the time, Mano Menezes, came in for fierce criticism and Rafael, says Fabio, became the scapegoat.

‘Rafael should be in the squad to play England and he should be in the squad for the Confederations Cup [this month],’ says Fabio.



Keep strong: Fabio must pick himself up mentally after QPR's disappointing campaign

‘But the manager [now Luiz Felipe Scolari] didn’t call him up. Everyone makes mistakes and it’s time to get over it. Those who play best have to be in our national team. My brother is playing like the best and the least he deserves is to be in the squad.’

Each of the brothers had claims for selection against an England team they know well: both have previous full Brazil caps and grew up, in a footballing sense, at tonight’s venue — home to Fluminense, the club where their careers began.

But Fabio missed out because Scolari has excellent options at left-back: Real Madrid’s Marcelo, Bayern Munich’s Dante and Chelsea’s David Luiz are all in his current squad. Through injury he also missed a chunk of a downbeat season on loan at relegated QPR.

Out of favour: Talents like Marcelo (above) and Dante (below) mean Fabio's chances have been limited

It is a surprise that Rafael was not included — at least as right-sided cover for Barcelona’s Dani Alves — if judged on form and consistent performance at a high level. Only Robin van Persie, Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick among United’s outfield players started more games in Old Trafford’s Premier League-winning season than 22-year-old Rafael.

But he believes he will recover his place in time for the World Cup: ‘I’d like to play. I just need to do what I do well.’

Fabio says: ‘I believe I can still make it but I need to be playing consistently and at United.’

The twins are glowing in their praise for their Manchester team-mates, including those in the England squad: Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones and Carrick.

Rooney is a ‘great player, always a good example to learn from’, according to Rafael, who is aware of speculation that Rooney may leave United. ‘He’s already at the best club in the world,’ he says. ‘I really want him to stay but it’s his choice.’

Jones and Welbeck are ‘United players, young and strong’, says Fabio, while Carrick is named by both twins as one of several United stars who helped them settle at United when they arrived in 2008 as 18-year-olds.

‘Darren Fletcher, too, was brilliant,’ says Fabio. ‘From the first day, he supported us, helped us. Fletch is close to me, and Rio [Ferdinand] and Antonio [Valencia].

Rafael adds: ‘You learn from them, too. I’ve always watched Rio for his game and as a leader.’

Their own journey to the big time began, aged four, in Petropolis, the city where they grew up in the forested hills 40 miles north of Rio. They played in the streets near the big house where their father, Jose, worked as the gardener and their mother, Laurinda, was the housekeeper for the owner, a wealthy businessman.

The boys, their older brother Luiz Henrique and their parents shared a small staff lodging in the grounds.

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‘We weren’t poor-poor, just poor,’ says Rafael, who had never seen a United match before being told, aged 15 in 2005, that the English giants wanted both twins to join their set-up in Manchester.

‘I had heard of United and I knew who Ruud van Nistelrooy was,’ he says. ‘But because it was on pay-TV and we didn’t have it, we did not watch games. We couldn’t afford it.’

Rafael and Fabio are each now married to their respective teenage sweethearts, Karla and Barbara, and the couples share a mansion in Cheshire with their brother, 29, and his wife.

The twins’ 2012-13 seasons could not have been more contrasting. Fabio was on loan at QPR, first under Mark Hughes and then Harry Redknapp during a campaign interrupted by a stress fracture in his back.

‘It didn’t go the way I wanted,’ he says. ‘We had a bad start, lost confidence, never got back on track. Redknapp tried hard but it was too late.

Samba style: Fabio (above) found chances limited at United, but Rafael (below) has blossomed

‘Of course, there were too many changes at the club. Too many new players. I don’t think the team were together. Everyone wanted to do his best but they played for themselves as individuals, not as a team.

‘In the end, the atmosphere was bad — but not from the fans. I have to say they supported us right to the end.’

Fabio will start next season, as far as he knows, back at United. ‘In my mind I want to stay there but I don’t know.’

Rafael should be assured of his place after his role in the title-winning side. He says that it was no surprise it looked so easy from the outside.

‘The way we lost it the previous season hurt us so much,’ he says. ‘So badly that we knew we had to work so hard every game and not stop.’

Tutoring: Ferguson was a great teacher to the twins, and Moyes will hope it continues

Tutoring: Ferguson was a great teacher to the twins, and Moyes will hope it continues

He is also driven, he says, by being a father. He and Karla have a 17-month-old daughter, Eduarda. ‘An amazing thing, being a father,’ he says. ‘I feel completely changed. I started to think differently about everything. I’m responsible for Eduarda now, it’s what I work for.’

The post-Sir Alex Ferguson era will be uncharted territory for most at United.

‘Sir Alex Ferguson and his staff made me the player I am,’ says Rafael. ‘We knew that he would retire one day but it was still a shock when he told us on that Wednesday morning, “I’m finishing”.’

Fabio adds: ‘For every kid to the top player, he’s been everything at that club. But David Moyes has a great reputation, 11 years at one team like he’s done with Everton is also remarkable these days.’

Iconic: The Maracana stadium is sure to produce some of the most memorable World Cup moments

Fabio expects an entertaining match tonight — and a Brazil win, inspired by Barcelona-bound Neymar.

‘He’s a fantastic boy,’ he says. ‘People think he’s arrogant because of his haircut and tricks but he’s a brilliant professional, a great guy.

‘At Barcelona I’m sure he will be a great success, when maybe they need something new, someone who can take some of the pressure away from Lionel Messi.’