Brasília, 3 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - More than 150,000 cheering fans greeted Brazil's soccer heroes yesterday at the Praça dos Três Poderes (Plaza of the Three Powers, where the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches are all located in Brasilia). In the country of soccer, the winners of the fifth World Cup fittingly got the red-carpet treatment usually reserved for Heads of State: they walked up the ramp to the Palacio do Planalto (Brazil's White House) and met with president Fernando Henrique Cardoso who awarded the medal of the National Order of Merit to each player and the coach.

As the crowd screamed "Penta-Champions," a few unheard-of scenes took place at the center of power in Brazil: the national anthem was played to a popular dance rhythm "axé," goalkeeper Marcos fell on his knees and raised his arms to heaven, repeating a gesture he made during the World Cup and, finally, midfielder Vampeta expressed his feelings by somersaulting down the palace ramp. (AB)