'Always special'
- Friday,
Team GB Double Header
Women v Sweden (4pm)
Men v Brazil (7.45pm)
Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough FC
Friday 20 July 2012
Ticket hotline 0844 499 1234
Live on BBC1
Team GB captain Ryan Giggs admits he can't wait to lead the team out in Middlesbrough on Friday, as the squad warm-up for London 2012 with a game against Brazil.
The Manchester United star has only played against the South American giants once before in his career, featuring for Wales in a game at Tottenham's White Hart Lane in 2006 and now he finds himself captaining a squad preparing for the Olympics on home soil, which are only a few days away.
"It's always special to play against Brazil, the history they have in the game, the players they have and you know they have the best in the world and they are a proud nation," said Giggs ahead of the match at the Riverside Stadium.
"The Olympics is probably one of the only competitions they haven't won, speaking to Rafa (Manchester United team-mate Rafael Da Silva), I know they are desperate to win it, especially with Argentina winning it a few times in the last tournaments. Like anything, we're going to have to be competitive."
Whilst Giggs feels the Team GB squad selected by Head Coach Stuart Pearce will be formidable during the competition, he is also looking to line-up against some of the Brazilian superstars of the next generation.
"Neymar is one player that Rafa and Anderson have told me about it, and they say he's something special," he added. "I think also with the next World Cup in Brazil, these players will be trying to impress and trying to put a marker down that they can play tournament football.
"It's just great for the fans coming to Middlesbrough to see Brazil play live because it doesn't come around that often, when it does, you do take it, purely because of the history they have in the game."
The Riverside Stadium also holds happy memories for the Welshman, after featuring there for United on a number of occasions over the years and even securing a Premier League title there in 1996.
"I've had many memorable times at the Riverside, winning league titles there, scoring goals and I've got a pretty good record there. Hopefully that will go on with this game," he explained.
"'96 was special. We had two very different emotions in the space of a year really, with the title going down to the last game twice in consecutive seasons.
"As a player it probably adds that bit of excitement and it feels a bit special winning it on the last day, obviously you want it done and dusted before that, but if it goes to the last day and you do win it then it is extra special. Vice versa, it is even worse if you lose it. It was special that day, scoring the goal and winning the league, after missing out so narrowly the year before."
Tickets for the double-header are still available directly from Middlesbrough FC. Call the ticket hotline on 0844 499 1234
The games will be the only chance for fans to see the men's and women's teams play before the Olympic football tournament begins five days later when Team GB women take on New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff , with the men’s team kicking off their competition against Senegal at Old Trafford (KO 8pm) on Thursday 26 July.
