It said everything of the Brazil shaped by Dunga that the first 15 minutes of training at the Khalifa International Stadium last night should feature intense, repetitive drilling of set-pieces.

Dunga demands that his team be as ordered as his buzz-cut hair, even for a warm-weather friendly such as this.

If Brazil win the World Cup next summer, and most rank them with Spain as the main contenders, they will combine the flair of Kaká and Robinho with the coach’s hard-nosed organisation.

Commonly, Dunga is said simply to be imposing the qualities that he boasted as the midfield enforcer of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup winners. But Fabio Capello recognises something else in him; a streak of Italian picked up during Dunga’s six years with Pisa, Fiorentina and Pescara in Serie A.

“Dunga played in Italy and learnt a lot from the pragmatism of Italians,” Capello said yesterday, with a knowing smile. “People thought he was not like a Brazilian manager when he started.”

It was intended as a compliment from one tough, tactical drill sergeant to another, but Dunga did not quite concur. “The Italians have their way of playing, we have ours, which is about short, quick passes,” he said.

But there is one thing that unites Capello and Dunga, and it was exposed when the Brazil coach was asked how he would like to be remembered. His answer was short but laden with meaning, given the continuing debate about whether he satisfies Brazil’s expectations of panache. How to be remembered? Simple. “For winning.”

Dunga has endured criticism at home despite turning Brazil into a formidable force. They lifted the Confederations Cup in South Africa in the summer amid a 19-game unbeaten streak, and qualified comfortably for the World Cup finals.

Still there were reservations, but Dunga, like Capello, has proved impervious aside from the odd outburst aimed at his critics. He continues to pick a muscular defence, two holding midfield players, and to rely on the counter-attack. And why not, given the speed with which the imperious Kaká can cover ground?

This willingness to concede territory to opponents and then strike with deadly pace marks a crucial distinction between them and Spain, according to Capello. “Spain play more with the ball,” Capello said. “Without [Fernando] Torres, they lose a lot of their strength because they need one player who’s fast, but Brazil have two or three who are fast with or without the ball.

“For this reason, there’s more danger playing Brazil when you have the ball. Spain have more possession, they are more dangerous with the ball, they pass it around. Brazil go straight at goal when possible.”

Robinho’s absence could give a chance to Nilmar, the Villarreal attacker, who has scored six goals in eight international games, including a hat-trick against Chile in September.

Daniel Alves and Elano are in contention on the right side of midfield, with Kaká due to start in his familiar, central role off the prolific Luís Fabiano, who has 25 goals in 34 games for Brazil.

At least half of Brazil’s team will be regular starters and Dunga will keep his experiments to a minimum. As he says, and is trying to pass on to his players, it is all about winning.

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