Cruz out to honour his brother in finals

Paraguay's biggest star, Roque Santa Cruz, hopes to win his fitness battle for the World Cup in honour of his younger brother, who was killed in a car accident earlier this year.

The Bayern Munich striker, dubbed BabyGol in South America, is recovering from a second major knee operation but is determined to face England in June.

Cruz said: "People have written me off but my rehabilitation is going well. I will be in Germany for myself, my country and my family."

Paraguay's medical chief, Dr Osvaldo Pangrazio, has laid out a strict timetable for Santa Cruz, who is regarded as a legend in his home country.

Pangrazio said: "His muscles should start to recover in January. In March, he will start to run a little bit and do some exercises.

"We hope he can play for Bayern around April. We will wait for him, he is so important to us."

Santa Cruz was compared with Marco van Basten and Gabriel Batistuta when he burst on to the scene to help Bayern win the European Cup in 2001.

But he has suffered a terrible past 12 months.

He has undergone two major operations to mend ligaments in his right knee and in February his 23-year-old brother, Oscar, was killed in a car accident when returning from Lake Ypacarai, a beauty spot in Paraguay.