SAO PAULO, Brazil: Ronaldo aims to beat Pele's goalscoring record for the Brazilian national team, the Real Madrid striker said on Monday after announcing another advertising deal.

Ronaldo has scored 46 goals in 70 full internationals and needs exactly 50 more to beat Pele's total of 95, according to Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) statistics.

"I want to get nearer Pele's total, that's my big motivation," he told a media conference.

"We players always find motivation from the simple act of playing football but I have my own particular targets," he added.

Ronaldo said he hoped to score around 12 goals in Brazil's 18-match World Cup qualifying campaign, which begins on Sunday away to Colombia in Barranquilla.

The 26-year-old has never played a World Cup qualifier. He was called up to the squad for the 1994 finals as a 17-year-old and Brazil qualified automatically for 1998 as champions.

Ronaldo then missed all the qualifiers for 2002 because of a knee operation.

Although Brazil are defending champions, they have to play the qualifiers this time under new FIFA rules.

The conference was held to announce that Ronaldo has signed a deal to do publicity campaigns for French retailing giant Carrefour, which has stores in Brazil.

Ronaldo also has deals with Brazilian beer and soft drink manufacturers Ambev and sportswear giants Nike and said he was negotiating the new contracts with Italian mobile phone operator TIM and Germany's Siemens.

"This is a very good situation for me and it doesn't get in the way," he said. "Commerce is prevalent in football today and the Brazil team sells well."

Agencies via Xinhua

(China Daily 09/03/2003 page8)