51.  Armando Petit was the only defensive midfielder for Portugal.

52.  At the World Cup, he has been playing as defensive midfielder on the right, not his natural position.

53.  Back is the solid four-man defense and the two defensive midfielders.

54.  Belgium was missing starting defender Glen De Boeck, who missed practice on Sunday with back pains and was replaced by defensive midfielder Timmy Simons.

55.  Bayern top striker, Brazilian Giovane Elber, and defensive midfielder Bixente Lizarazu, the French World Cup star, are both out for the season with knee injuries.

56.  Bayer Leverkusen, one of the title contenders, announced the signing of Norwegian defensive midfielder Bent-Andre Skammelsrud from Rosenborg Trondheim.

57.  Brazil threw in defensive midfielder Kleberson in place of the attack-minded Juninho.

58.  But the absence of sweeper Matthias Sammer and defensive midfielder Stefan Reuter likely will leave huge holes in the Dortmund defense.

59.  But the Brazilians will be bolstered by the return of Dinho, a tough defensive midfielder who sat out a one-game suspension against Cruzeiro.

60.  Captain Didier Deschamps is defensive midfielder and Zinedine Zidane the playmaker.