Santos number 10 Paulo Henrique Ganso, the subtle foil to his more celebrated team-mate Neymar, is desperate to cap a year beset by serious injury by lifting the Club World Cup.
Like Neymar, the exceptionally talented 22-year-old is coveted by Europe's finest, but he missed much of the first half of 2011 with a serious injury, halting his rapid progress at club and international level with Brazil.
"All things considered, 2011 was a strange year," he said. "There was delight for the titles won, but also sadness for the injuries.
"Still, it taught me the value of patience. Now thats all in the past and Im just focusing on getting back to playing regularly again and getting a run of games.
"Ideally that run would start with a world title."
Santos, the Copa Libertadores champions, begin their Club World Cup campaign in Japan next week, when they will face either Mexico's Monterrey or the newly crowned Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol.
The now fully fit Ganso said he had no problem with his friend and fellow international Neymar hogging the limelight.
He told FIFA.com: "I prefer passing, I always have, even when I was a kid with a makeshift ball. Even then, Id be (looking at a team-mate) thinking: You, run over there and score.
"I never worried about scoring myself. I even got criticised because of this."
Source: AFP
