The Swede told reporters on Thursday that if England could beat pre-tournament favourites Argentina in the first round, they could also remove the four-times world champions.

Ronaldo and Rivaldo have scored nine goals between them, scoring in every game. Eriksson said England planned to stifle the duo's talent as a unit not by dogging their every step.

"We're not used to it, we've never done it," he said of man-marking.

"You have to mark them well when they come into your zone and pay attention to counter-attacks. They are extremely quick at doing that and they can play the ball as well.

"We have to be very tight and compact, and work as a unit.

"If we don't do that, we will give them time and space -- and then they will kill us."

The other key to a place in the semifinals against either Turkey or Senegal is for England to avoid getting so wound up before the game that they cannot deliver on the pitch.

"It's very important that you go out feeling calm, and not too nervous, with not too much tension -- that you go out and play football like we can play football, then we have a chance.

"If we are too tense and too nervous we will not win the game," Eriksson said.

"We must try to take it like a normal game -- even if it's not a normal game."

After crushing Germany 5-1 in qualifying, defeating Argentina 1-0 in a group clash and trouncing Denmark 3-0 in the second round, Eriksson saw no reason why England could not triumph over the Brazilians.

"Why not?" he said.

"If we play as we have played against many teams so far, Argentina for example, why can't we win? It's not easy, but I think it's a very open game."