YOU THINK THE AMERICAN WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM HAS PROBLEMS: Check out Brazil's:

The team has won four South American Championships, and its star has been rising outside the region.

After failing to get out of the group stage in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups, Brazil managed a fourth-place finish in the 1996 Olympics and third at the 1999 Women's World Cup. It was fourth at the 2000 Olympics.

Still, for the Brazilian public the team hardly exists.

And it rankles that media attention at home has focused not on the best players, but arguably the worst - Milene Domingues, better known as the wife of Real Madrid star Ronaldo.

Coach Paulo Renato said he was surprised by how out of shape Domingues was when she reported to training camp, but the blond 24-year-old has stayed on at the insistence of the Brazilian Soccer Confederation.

The confederation argued her presence was essential to raising the visibility of women's soccer in Brazil.

That may be so, but it hasn't done much for morale.

Her presence at training camp has reportedly angered several players who risk being cut from the team so Domingues can take their place.

Nor does it help that compared to the well-heeled Mrs. Ronaldo, the players are dirt poor, many barely getting by on the team's meager allowance of 30 reals (US$10) a day.