"We're going to play against Brazil's B team," he said after December's draw in Cape Town.
The comment was a reference to the Brazilian-born players in Portugal's team and implied they had changed allegiance because they could not make the grade with their homeland.
At least two of Portugal's probable World Cup squad - midfielder Deco and forward Liedson - were born in Brazil and others may be lining up for other countries, including Marcos Senna for Spain and Cacau for Germany.
"With a career like mine, it would have been normal for me to have played for Brazil," the Chelsea player told the Portuguese sports daily A Bola.
"There are players who have worn that shirt and haven't achieved half of what I have.
"Playing for Brazil would be the most natural thing in the world for a player who won everything with Porto, was an uncontested first-team regular at Barcelona for four years and plays for one of the world's biggest clubs.
"Of course it's a special match because I'm Brazilian and have been connected to Brazil all my life," he said referring to the Group G clash with Brazil in Durban on June 25.
"It's a different game to the others but of course I want to win.
"I will defend the Portuguese shirt until the end...and if I score no Brazilian can see this as a betrayal against the country where I was born."
"It will be spectacular," he told FIFA.com. "I was born in Brazil and I really love my country but I will give everything for Portugal to win. This game is like a final."
"If we don't stop
