AC Milan midfielder Ronaldinho faces a battle to win a place in Brazil's World Cup squad next year. Sport says Ricardo Teixeira, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, has told Dunga that Ronaldinho cannot be considered for the Selecao.

Teixeira and his fellow Brazilian powerbrokers are unhappy with Ronaldinho's poor preseason form and reports of him partying in Barcelona this summer. He had hoped that the appointment of Leonardo as Milan coach would motivate Ronaldinho, but has been left disappointed in recent weeks.