By sportswriter Ji Guohua

    BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Luiz Felipe Scolari is seeking to crown the Portuguese at the upcoming FIFA World Cup finals, which will kick off on June 9 in Germany.

    Son of post-war Italian immigrants, the 58-year-old Brazilian, who headed his own people to its record fifth victory at Korea/Japan World Cup in 2002, is now in charge of the Portuguese squad aiming to become the first head coach to win the trophy with different teams.

    Being ranked as one of the world's top ten teams by FIFA, Portugal is pooled in a relatively easy group, with Mexico, Iran and the first-timers Angola.

    With nine wins and three draws, the unbeaten team boasted about 35 goals in the qualifying stage by the guidance of Scolari, the highest number in the European Zone and the third among all zones.

    With the nickname of the Brazilians of Europe, the Portuguese squad qualified for only three World Cups previously: in 1966, in 1986 and in 2002.

    It hasn't gone beyond the group stage since 1966 when another Brazilian coach, Otto Gloria, guided it to the semifinals, largely thanks to legendary performances of Eusebio.

    Scolari, who received an offer to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson last month from English soccer officials, took charge of the Portuguese in February 2003 and guided them to the final of the European championships in 2004, where they lost to Greece.

    "Scolari is one of the greatest coaches I've come across," said Inter Milan midfielder Luis Figo, a former FIFA World Player of the Year who came out of retirement to help Portugal qualify.

    During his years of player, Scolari didn't have the talent to shine at the highest level and was restricted to a modest career with lower league clubs in Brazil.

    Not until 1982 did he make a name for himself among Brazilian football's elite, as he switched to his coaching career.

    As coach of well-respected clubs Gremio and Palmeiras, he proved his pedigree by winning the Copa Libertadores (Liberators Cup) with the former in 1995 and the latter four years later.

    Scolari makes no bones about the fact that he feels closer to the defensive rigor of Helenio Herrera, the former Inter Milan coach he so admires, than to the typically Brazilian attacking instinct.

    He was put in charge of the Brazilian national team on 28 June 2001, at a time when, for the first time, it was in danger of not qualifying for the World Cup in Korea/Japan in 2002.

    In despite of criticism for the exclusion of the untamed Romario, Scolari guided his players to win the final against Germany, which prompted the offer from Portugal.

    Coaching Career

    International Side:

    1990 Kuwait

    2001-02 Brazil

    Since 2003 Portugal

    Clubs:

    1982 CSA (BRA)

    1982-1983 Juventude (BRA)

    1983 Brasil de Pelotas (BRA)

    1984-1985 Al Shabab (KSA)

    1986 Pelotas (BRA)

    1986-1987 Juventude (BRA)

    1987 Gremio (BRA)

    1988 Goias (BRA)

    1988-1990 Al Qadsia (KUW)

    1991 Criciuma (BRA)

    1991 Al Ahli (KSA)

    1992 Al Qadsia (KUW)

    1993-1996 Gremio (BRA)

    1997 Jubilo Iwata (JPN)

    1997-2000 Palmeiras (BRA)

    2000-2001 Cruzeiro (BRA)

    Enditem