Ronaldo scored twice as Brazil beat Japan 4-1 but the under-fire striker claimed he was not surprised by his return to form.

The Real Madrid marksman's two goals in the final group game moved him alongside Gerd Muller at the top of the all-time World Cup finals goalscoring charts.

It also provided a perfectly-timed answer to the critics who had claimed Ronaldo was over-weight and disinterested in Brazil's opening two fixtures.

"I'm very happy as I've made such a significant improvement physically and technically during the competition," he said.

"Patience is the key word. I managed to stay calm and patient in all the difficult moments."

Japan's Brazilian coach Zico was in reflective mood after the final whistle, saying: "It's a very disappointing result to take, but the way we lost the first game against Australia shows what a tough business football can be."