SHIZUOKA (Japan), June 20: A man named Rio stands between Brazil and a place in the semifinals of the World Cup.

England’s Rio Ferdinand will be hoping to send the millions of people who live in the city bearing his name crying into their coffee by living up to his reputation as the tournament’s best defender when the two old rivals meet in the World Cup for the first time in 32 years on Friday.

He, and his central defensive partner Sol Campbell, will have to tame rampant Brazil strikers Ronaldo and Rivaldo if England are to have any chance of reaching the last four for the first time in 12 years and only the third time ever.

But while the history books and their current scoring potency point to a Brazil victory, England have just as much chance of emerging the winners.

Friday’s game, in essence, will be a battle between England’s defence and Brazil’s attack. England’s back line has emerged as the joint best in the finals along with Germany’s having conceded just one goal in their opening four matches, while Brazil have scored 13 goals.

But if England’s rearguard can hold firm — and set up quick counter-attacks on the break — then England have half a chance.

Belgium, beaten 2-0 by Brazil in the second round on Monday, did enough to expose the holes that can quickly appear in the Brazil defence — and England are quicker and sharper going forward than the Belgians.

England’s midfielders, apart from skipper David Beckham, are more tigerish terriers than elegant executioners of the long ball, but Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Trevor Sinclair should more than hold their own in the middle.

England will then rely on Michael Owen — if he recovers from a groin strain in time — and Emile Heskey to punish Brazil at the back.

Brazil, though, play to the old adage “you score one, we’ll score two”, and England will not be able to let their guard drop for a moment against the best attack in the World Cup.

Ronaldo, the tournament’s joint top scorer with five goals, is finding his best form again after two-and-a-half years of injury misery while Rivaldo, who has also found the net in each game, is living up to his billing as one of the world’s best.

Neither can afford to be left alone for even a split second, while Ronaldinho is also coming into form and looked lively as a provider against Belgium.

But Campbell believes England have a real chance of victory.

“If we get the numbers right when we’re defending, there won’t be too many problems,” he said. “But we have to understand what they’re trying to do and the movement.”

England have already beaten Argentina in the tournament — and another victory over Brazil would represent their best achievement in real terms in the World Cup since they won it in 1966.

This Brazil team might not be the best ever assembled, but there are still enough attacking options to wrap up the game in 90 minutes.

For once England might have the better team, if not the superior individuals — and that might be enough to tip the balance their way.

Meanwhile, Michael Owen boosted England’s hopes on Thursday by taking part in a training session after a groin injury had threatened to rule him out of their quarterfinal clash with Brazil.

Owen joined the rest of the squad for a rain-swept training session at the Shizuoka stadium where England will face the four-times champions on Friday.

Owen, who scored his opening goal at these finals in the 3-0 second round win over Denmark but also picked up the injury then, will be key to England’s chances when he links up with Liverpool strike-partner Emile Heskey.

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