Brazil’s Seleçao have beaten Japan 4-1 in their final match in World Cup Group F in Dortmund after Japan took a surprise lead with a goal from Keiji Tamada and Ronaldo breaking a long-standing World Cup record.

Tamada smashed the ball past Dida to give Japan a shock lead in the 34th minute, but Ronaldo headed an injury-time goal to equalise for Brazil before half-time.

Juninho Pernambucano doubled the lead for Brazil in the 53rd minute with a superb strike, with Gilberto adding a third, with Ronaldo making World Cup history late in the game to beat Gerd Mullers all-time World Cup goalscoring record and seal the win.

Juninho Pernambucano and Gilberto sealed the win in the second-half after Brazil took control of the game.

Cicinho, Robinho and Juninho Pernambucano all started the match for the Seleçao, with Ronaldo maintaining his place in attack.

Japan head coach Zico started with Naohiro Takahara and Atsushi Yanagisawa rested, being replaced by Keiji Tamada and Seiichiro Maki for the match that Japan knew they had to win to have any chance of progressing.

The game started quite slowly, with both sides taking their time, but it wasn’t long before Brazil starte finding their feet, with Ronaldo testing Japanese keeper Kawaguchi in the early stages.

Robinho had a shot from 20-yards that Kawaguchi palmed away, but the pressure was almost continuous from the world champions.

Kawaguchi tipped another shot from Robinho in the 16th minute, and then made the most amazing save in the 21st minute from a shot from Juninho Pernambucano.

Japan almost took a shock lead when Akira Kaji made a break on goal that was well defended by Arsenal’s Gilberto Silva.

Robinho and Ronaldinho were linking up well in the front of the penalty-area, threading lovely balls through to each other and Ronaldo, who couldn’t find the target and still looked off match-fitness.

Japan were defending well, and were always a threat on the break. It was in the 34th minute that one of these breaks found Brazilian-born Alex, who played a wonderful threaded pass through to Keiji Tamada, who smashed the ball past Dida to give Japan a shock lead in the 34th minute.

Brazil continued to attack with Kawaguchi making some astonishing saves, but Brazil finally got the breakthrough with Ronaldo scoring from a lovely bit of play ending with Cicinho chipping the ball to Ronaldo, who headed the ball into the corner of the net in injury-time of the first-half.

The second-half saw Brazil still dominating, and Ronaldo and Ronaldinho linking up beautifully, but Ronaldo’s shot going wide.

Juninho Pernambucano doubled the lead for Brazil in the 53rd minute from an astonishing 40-yard screamer that left Kawaguchi flailing.

Mitsuo Ogasawara was subbed for Koji Nakata in the 56th minute to try to give the Japanese some more flair and attacking momentum, but the pressure was all from Brazil and they scored again in the 59th minute when Ronaldinho played a diagonal ball and Gilberto finished well, placing the ball across goal.

Brazil then went into cruise control, passing between themselves and waiting for an opening.

That opening came in the 81st minute when Ronaldo made World Cup history by breaking Gerd Muller’s long-time goalscoring record of 13 goals.

His equaliser before half-time took his record past that of Pele, but he took the record with a superb turn and curled shot to score his 14th World Cup Finals goal and seal the win for the Seleçao, who have topped Group F.