Brazil defeated Wales 2-0 in an international friendly clash tonight at Tottenham Hotspur's home ground of White Hart Lane in north London.
Brazil won as everybody expected with skill and joyful football but the memory for Wales was that they were never overawed or overpowered by the supreme South Americans.
Marcelo and Vagner Love scored second-half goals to give Brazil their second victory in London in three days, following their eclipsing of Argentina on Sunday.
But Wales showed defiance, resilience in defence where Danny Gabbidon was outstanding, and sheer graft and hard work.
Ryan Giggs matched anything Brazil could produce, and that is saying something with Ronaldinho and Kaka on the pitch, and youngster Gareth Bale played with maturity beyond his years.
Wales held out for an hour before Marcelo's long-range strike, and Vagner Love's clever flicked header completed the victory.
Wales' youngsters and lower division players will take this performance with them into more serious Euro 2008 combat knowing that they managed to live with the world's elite.
Bale, Southampton's 17-year-old starlet, was plunged into the biggest game of his life and never looked overawed, producing control, positioning and tackling that belied his tender years.
Here is a youngster John Toshack will find difficulty keeping out of his senior side. Bale came in at left-back, with Sam Ricketts, Mark Delaney and Carl Fletcher left out from the Wales side that lost their Euro 2008 qualifier in the Czech Republic on Saturday.
It meant that Richard Duffy came in at right-back and Robert Earnshaw up front, and as the first half progressed, Wales grew into the challenge and deservedly reached the break level.
The Samba boys brought Brazilian humidity with them to north London. And their legion of fans - of all nationalities these days, it seems - were intent on a carnival.
But it was all about Ronaldinho, who had recovered from the back injury that ruled him out of Brazil's 3-0 win over Argentina at the Emirates stadium on Sunday.
Ronaldinho brought squeals of delight from the crowd every time he touched the ball, as Brazil cruised forward.
But Wales carved out a great opening when James Collins' high ball was controlled by Bale and pushed to Giggs. When the cross came in Earnshaw had yards of space but still managed to lose control.
The next time Earnshaw had a chance, from Giggs' clever back heel, he forced Gomes into a point blank save.
Brazil were a joy to watch as they glided forward, passing and movement plus poise and quality. However, Wales were working their socks off against an increasingly quick, mobile Brazil who oozed class from every position with the composure and sublime technique to match.
Kaka headed wide, Edmilson drove a 20-yard effort inches past a post while twice Bale halted Ronaldinho when he switched flanks. To great cheers from the Welsh fans massed behind him.
Wales continued to run and block, skipper Giggs tracked back to superbly dispossess Kaka, and received a pat of congratulations from 18-year-old Lewin Nyatanga.
Giggs relished this stage, producing step-overs and turns as good as anything from the Brazilians.
At the break Wales opted to take off Giggs and send on 19-year-old Joe Ledley, while Ricketts came on for Bale, who had more than impressed. Brazil replaced Edmilson with Arsenal's Gilberto.
After just three minutes of the half Alex looked to take out Duffy with his arm, in such a match a quite needless challenge and referee Mike Riley calmed the situation as Wales complained and may have dealt differently with the incident if this had been a Premiership game.
After 51 minutes the hard-grafting Robinson was replaced by Carl Fletcher. Bellamy's pace almost exposed Alexandro Souza, whose weak back pass was hacked off the Wales striker's toes by Gomes.
Then Duffy and Fletcher combined for a cross that Bellamy hooked over after 57 minutes. A minute later Real Madrid's Cicinho took over from Maicon.
With so much possession, Brazil were continuing to make openings, and they finally scored after 58 minutes when Marcelo was not shut down quickly enough and he unleashed a dipping, swerving 25-yard shot that evaded Paul Jones' dive.
Rob Edwards came on for Duffy after 63 minutes, by now Wales were tiring and Brazil looked like scoring again. When Ronaldinho swerved an exquisite effort inches wide from the edge of the box you began to fear for Wales.
But that was the great man's last involvement and he was replaced by Robinho, the somewhat bizarre scenario of Crewe's David Vaughan passing him as he went off, taking over from Davies.
Bellamy saw a cross shot go wide after Vaughan had sent him through on the right, but Brazil struck again after 73 minutes when Cicinho's cross was deftly flicked home by Vagner Love's head.
David Cotterill took over from Earnshaw after 76 minutes and a minute later Julio Baptista was replaced by Rafael Sobis.
Wales continued to fight, and Ricketts sliced wide after being set up by Bellamy. Bellamy then saw an angled shot beaten away by Gomes as Wales' defiance continued right to the end.
