LUIZ Gustavo hopes to do for Brazil in this year’s FIFA World Cup what Gilberto Silva did in the 2002 edition.

The VfL Wolfsburg man wants to be the midfield anchorman in the Brazilian team which he hopes will lift the World Cup at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium on July 13.

Twelve years ago, Gilberto Silva helped Brazil to World Cup glory, playing every minute of every match en route to their fifth crown with his performances hailed as “carrying the piano for Ronaldo and Rivaldo to play their tunes on”.

And Gustavo hopes to be the midfield general this time around for Brazil’s star forwards Oscar, Neymar and Hulk.

“Playing in that position always carries a lot of responsibility,” Gustavo told Dawn in an exclusive interview. “As a Midfielder in the centre, you are in charge of connecting attack and defence and also taking care of the rhythm of the game.

“That challenge is fascinating and inspires me.”

Brazil great Rivelino, a part of their 1970 World Cup team, recently recognised that holding midfielders have had a greater influence in the game in recent times as they “open the game up more than the attacking playmaker”.

Another legend, Mauro Silva — who won the World Cup with the Selecao in 1994 — believes Gustavo is the “first wheel in the Brazil’s midfield engine”.

Influential in Brazil’s Confederations Cup triumph last year, Gustavo is hoping to live up to those expectations.

“My personal ambition is to represent Brazil at the World Cup in such a way that every Brazilian will be proud of our team and will always remember the World Cup weeks as a real highlight of their lives,” he says.

To make it into a highlight reel, Gustavo and Brazil will have to win the World Cup. That would also help Brazil recover from the bad memories of when the World Cup was hosted by the country last time around.

It happened in 1950 when Brazil lost final to Uruguay 2-1. Brazil would go on to win five World Cups but that was a loss never forgotten in Brazil lore and is remembered as ‘el Maracanaço’ — which roughly translates as ‘the Maracana blow’.

Gustavo and Brazil not only have the weight of expectation of a fanatical host nation but also the weight of history on their shoulders.

“There surely is a lot of pressure on us, but I think it will be positive for us,” Gustavo says. “There isn’t much pressure right now but there will be a lot of it shortly before the World Cup starts.

“I don’t think that there is any Brazilian player who isn’t aware of the key role this World Cup has for our country. Winning the World Cup in your home country is a chance of a lifetime.

“When I was a small boy, I always dreamt about winning the World Cup and now I have the chance to make that dream come true.”

On Wednesday, Gustavo came on as a second-half substitute in Brazil’s 5-0 victory over South Africa in an international friendly at Soccer City in Johannesburg and forged a solid partnership with Manchester City’s Fernandinho in the centre of the park.

The duo look set to be Brazil’s first-choice midfield pairing at the World Cup.

Gustavo is also one of Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s most trusted men. And the man who guided Brazil to the World Cup triumph in 2002 was crucial in his decision to join Wolfsburg from Bayern Munich last summer.

Although he won a treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup in his final season at Bayern, he had fallen down in the pecking order. Wolfsburg guaranteed first-team football.

He’s been in good form, scoring three times in 23 matches for the 2009 Bundesliga champions who lie in fifth place, two points off a Champions League qualifying spot.

“Since I moved to Wolfsburg, I’ve always been in the starting eleven — which is the most important thing,” Gustavo notes. “I think it’s important for every player to gain as much playing time as possible over the next few months in order to be well-prepared for the World Cup.”

For many observers, the current Brazilian side is one of their weakest to be at the World Cup with Argentina legend Diego Maradona citing the lack of star power for the Selecao despite the presence on Barcelona star Neymar.

Brazil’s other problem is the draw.

They open the World Cup on June 12 against Croatia in Group ‘A’ which also has Mexico and Cameroon but they are likely to face either Spain or Netherlands in their first game of the knockout stage. Next up could be one of three former World Cup champions — Uruguay, Italy or England.

Gustavo, though, remains unfazed.

“I think it is hard to compare teams from different World Cups with each other, because each team played under different conditions and had its own team-spirit, which cannot be transferred to or compared with the current Selecao,” he says.

“We have to go our own way to be successful and I think we are strong enough to do so. We need to compete with other strong teams. It won’t be an easy job, but we are ready!”

Brazil are likely to face either Spain or Netherlands in their first game of the knockout stage. -Photo by AP

‘Bayern are even stronger now’

Last season, Gustavo achieved a unique treble with Bayern.

Having joined Bayern in January 2011 from fellow Bundesliga side 1899 Hoffenheim, it was the pinnacle of his time with the Bavarian giants.

A year earlier, Gustavo – out because of suspension – had looked on from the sidelines as Bayern lost the Champions League final on penalties to Chelsea at their own Allianz Arena.

They had finished runners-up to Borussia Dortmund in both the Bundesliga and the German Cup.

A year later, though, Gustavo came on as a late substitute as Bayern beat Dortmund at Wembley to be crowned European champions for the fifth time.

It was to be his final appearance in a Bayern shirt – and the 36th of his last season.

Having won the Bundesliga a week earlier, they became the first German side to win the treble when they beat VfB Stuttgart in the Cup final the following week.

“Those were unique moments, winning all three big titles,” Gustavo says.

“Being part of the first German team ever to do so is something I am very proud of. In my opinion, having that great success, Bayern are now even stronger.

“For me, they are the hot favourites to win the Champions League this season. I don’t see another team who can compete with them right now.”

Not even Wolfsburg?

While the rest of the Bundesliga clubs don’t possess the financial might to challenge Bayern, Wolsburg are owned by German car manufacturing giants Volkswagen.

Signing Gustavo for a fee reportedly in the neighborhood of 20 million euros ($26 million) was a statement of intent.

That followed the signing of Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne from Chelsea for another 20 million euros in January this year.

It led to fellow Bundesliga rivals Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke 04 accepting they couldn’t compete with Wolfsburg in finances.

“Everyone knows that Wolfsburg can become a real power. Things will get very uncomfortable for others when VW open the purse,” said Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp, while Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller said: “We can't compete with Wolfsburg’s spending power.”

But Gustavo believes financial might off the pitch cannot translate to results on it.

“I think now isn’t the time to talk about such things,” he says. “We want to improve step by step and build a strong team.”

Wolfsburg know how building a team is important.

Ever since its sensational run to the Bundesliga title in 2009, Wolfsburg have gone through scores of players and half a dozen coaches seeking that elusive success but to no avail, despite millions spent.

However, under sporting director Klaus Allofs and coach Dieter Hecking, along with Gustavo and de Bruyne, Wolfsburg seem to be on the path to being Bayern’s biggest challengers in Germany.

Although the Bundesliga seems to be done and dusted with an imperious Bayern having raced to a massive lead, Wolfsburg are through to the German Cup semi-finals where they face Dortmund.

“This season we want do better than we did last time around,” Gustavo says. “There is a possibility for us to reach the Europa League. If we could achieve that, it would be a successful season and we would be very happy about that.

“But that is not our main goal. Our goal is continued improvement. Only together can we successfully play football. That's what matters.”

Although Gustavo admits leaving Bayern after a treble-winning season was tough, he feels he’s developed further at Wolfsburg.

“I’m getting more experienced year by year and improving, so I believe I have turned into a better player at Wolfsburg than I was last season.”

Note: This is the second installment of a 14-part Dawn 2014 FIFA World Cup special, which will include exclusive interviews with current and former players, features and analyses ahead of the football extravaganza in Brazil.