Cacau says constant practice is only way to match Latin skills

Dubai: Stuttgart's Brazilian hitman Jeronimo Baretto Cacau says Arab schoolchildren can only hope to emulate the skills of their South American counterparts if they play morning, noon and night.

Typically for his country, Cacau is a technically excellent player but he says that maximising of ball-playing talent comes from constant practice.

He said: "The difference with not only here but with the whole world is that we grow up playing football.

"We play football in the street and everywhere and that is the biggest difference. In Brazil we grow up playing football and are always trying to imitate the big players.

Realistic expectations

"I believe that could be replicated anywhere if the children have that in-built love and obsession with the game that you find in Brazil and South America."

The 25-year-old added that he did not know much about football in the Arab world but raised his opinion of it after his Stuttgart team were defeated by the hosts last Monday.

With Stuttgart in fourth place in the Bundesliga and just four points off the lead excitement is growing among the club's fans that they could challenge for the title.

But Cacau appealed for more realistic expectations when he said: "We are fighting for the title and of course hope to win but our objective is to stay in the top five."