The Lyon playmaker added that, unlike 34-year-old Zidane, who is retiring from football at the end of the campaign, Ronaldo still had another World Cup in him as he is only 29.

"It is not the Zidane-Ronaldo match, it is France-Brazil," insisted 31-year-old Juninho, who could well start Saturday's match if Kaka does not recover from a right ankle injury in time.

"The Zidane generation is playing in its last World Cup.

"That is normal as it is their third. Ronaldo (who is playing in his third World Cup -- he was in the 1994 squad but did not play) still has time to play in another as he is younger."

However, Juninho admitted that despite Zidane's age he was the man most capable of turning the match as Brazil seek to avenge the 1986 quarterfinal defeat and the 1998 final humbling by the French.

"Zidane has announced he is retiring, which is a shame," said Juninho, who has played in two of the matches so far, starting and scoring in the 4-1 victory over Japan and coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 second round victory over Ghana.

"He is a player we must follow closely. It is imperative that someone closes him down when he has the ball. He is capable of making the difference either on his own or in finding a striker."

For Juninho, whose clubmates Florent Malouda and Eric Abidal are likely starters for France, said he thought the two teams had different thoughts about what winning the match might mean.

"For France at the moment it would be a huge result to be in the last four whereas for Brazil it would be an under-achievement."