By Tim Vickery South American football reporter

Team spirit is key to the success of Ronaldinho (left)

Ronaldinho Gaucho is on the front cover of a Brazilian magazine this week. "Is he better than Pel�?" screams the headline.

It may seem excessive, though the goofy superstar now has a terrific chance to push his claims for both club and country.

He is the leader of the pack at Barcelona as they chase Champions League glory, and the man Brazilians are expecting to spearhead their drive towards the sixth World Cup win.

With glorious feints and dribbles, wonderful surprise passes, electric bursts and radar shooting, his weapons are well known - all, perhaps, except one.

Earlier this season Brazil's football magazine 'Placar' wanted to take a photo of the Barcelona Brazilians. Attentive as ever, Ronaldinho said he would think about it.

He discussed it with his colleagues, came back and said no. They were not Brazilians who played for Barcelona. They were just Barcelona, pure and simple.

In addition to his wonderful talent, Ronaldinho also works to get everyone singing from the same song sheet

The photo was divisive. It is worth noting that at the same time, Real Madrid's Brazilians were indulging in goal celebrations to which it seemed that only they had been invited, while some of their Spanish team-mates looked on in disapproval.

This observation explains why Real Madrid have spent a fortune but Barcelona keep adding to their trophy cabinet.

There is no doubt that the individual genius of Ronaldinho is placed at the service of the team. It is a similar story with the Brazil national side.

Fifa's world player of the year for the last two years, Ronaldinho is the undisputed idol of the Brazilian population.

They can be extraordinarily quick to turn against their heroes. Ronaldo is often dismissed as a fat, old has-been. It is a situation that could clearly make life unbearable in the Brazilian camp, with ego wars breaking out all over the place.

But this seems unlikely, in great part because of the attitude of Ronaldinho.

Again and again, the Barcelona and Brazil number 10 goes out of his way to pay tribute to his elder namesake.

He acknowledges that while he had some magic moments in the last World Cup, it was Ronaldo who carried the team to a victory that seemed unthinkable a year earlier.

Ronaldo is affectionately referred to by his team-mates as "president". Ronaldinho and the rest are happy to play Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr to Ronaldo's Frank Sinatra.

In addition to his wonderful talent, Ronaldinho also works to get everyone singing from the same songsheet.

It means that both Barcelona and Brazil are more likely to make some beautiful music as they go in search of the biggest prizes in the game.