Ronaldo misses training, close to separation

Ronaldo missed training with Brazil for personal reasons on Wednesday morning while his spokesman said the Real Madrid striker was close to separating from his wife Milene Domingues.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira confirmed that the 26-year-old striker had been excused on Wednesday as the world champions began their warm-up for Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Peru.

"We understand," Parreira told Brazilian television in the mountain retreat of Teresopolis.

"It's important that when he arrives, his head is in the right place, that he is at ease, because he's very important for us."

Parreira, who has already lost left-back Roberto Carlos and striker Ronaldinho through injury, denied that Ronaldo was setting a bad example or being allowed privileges.

"How many times has he failed to turn up in the past? None," said Parreira.

Ronaldo's absence came as Brazilian media reported that he was close to separating from Milene, who he married in December 1999.

The couple have a three-year-old son called Ronald.

"They could end up separating," his spokesman Rodrigo Paiva told Reuters by telephone from Teresopolis.

Speculation has been mounting about the pair for the last year.

After scoring both goals in Brazil's 2-0 win against Germany in last year's World Cup final, Ronaldo dedicated the win to his physiotherapist Nilton Petroni but did not mention his wife.

Before she met Ronaldo, Milene had become known as the "Queen of the Keep-ups", displaying her talents for keeping a ball in the air on numerous TV shows.

Milene was at the centre of controversy in September when she was included in the Brazil squad for the women's World Cup.

Team officials admitted she had been included as much for the publicity she attracted as for her footballing ability.