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Brazil - overwhelmed by what seems like terminal ecstasy - is planning an epic homecoming for the heroes due back from the Far East on Tuesday with the country's fifth World Cup.

The Canarinha champions are scheduled to touch down in the morning in the capital, Brasilia, for a state reception to honour Sunday's 2-0 win over Germany in the final at Yokohama.

The players will be received at the Planalto Palace before embarking on ticker-tape parades in an open bus through the two biggest cities, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

The Brazilian press have set the tone for national euphoria.

"The best football in the world, in all the continents," screamed a front page headline in the daily O Globo.

And the paper proudly pointed out that Brazil is the only country to have won the World Cup in the four continents where the tournament has been played.

O Globo also paid special tribute to Inter Milan striker Ronaldo, who scored both goals in the final

"Ronaldo turned lethal and turned off the nightmare that he has lived in the past four years."

It also acknowledged Barcelona striker Rivaldo's contribution to both of Ronaldo's goals which earned him the tournament's Golden Boot award with eight.

"Regarding Rivaldo he confirmed that he is one of the best players in the Cup," O Globo said.

Another national daily, Jornal do Brasil, said winning a fifth World Cup was "Brazil's happiest day of the century."

The paper said Ronaldo's two goals had at last ended the national mourning over losing to hosts France in the 1998 World Cup final.

The newspaper A Critica described it as a "spectacular" triumph that was simply out of this world.

"It is written in the stars," declared A Critica, adding that Luiz Felipe Scolari's team were the first to win all seven games in a World Cup.

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