Butt - emerging force.

By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer, Japan

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Nicky Butt is something of an expert in the art of emerging from the shadow of illustrious names, such as Roy Keane and Steven Gerrard for club and country respectively.

So it is with some authority he insists England must do exactly the same when they face four-time champions Brazil in the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday.

"Sometimes we can under-estimate ourselves as we have this mentality that all other countries are miles better than us," he said.

"That's changing at this World Cup but we have to go out there and prove it.

"Brazil are the biggest team in the world by name, and that name might be enough to scare some people, but we must not be afraid.

"Most of the lads have faced their players in the Champions League so we know we can compete against them.

"It'll be very difficult as they're very good going forward but it has always looked like you can get at them and we have the forward players to score goals against them too."

It is exactly that type of positive attitude which has enabled Butt to emerge as one of England's most consistent and certainly most improved players during the tournament.

A player of Gerrard's ability will always be missed, yet the Manchester United midfielder has replaced him just as adeptly as he has filled in for Keane in many games, such as the 1999 Champions League final.

What he is clearly benefiting from now with England is a run in the side, rather than the constant chopping and changing with which he must inevitably cope due to United's squad.

While admitting this is the best form of his England career that now spans 21 caps, the 27-year-old added: "I've played some good games for United but it's difficult in not playing all the time.

"I'm doing quite well now and playing in a good team always helps. Being part of it, you're confidence is high and when you get your chance, you have to take it."

Not that Butt is getting carried away with the rave reviews his World Cup performances have been receiving since he came back from injury against Argentina.

"It is a bit unusual. But being away from it out here, you don't really see any of it, to be honest," he said.

Butt's parents may be proud of him but there is no danger of them giving him a big head.

"You ring home and people say 'you're doing well', or rather my parents aren't the kind to say that I did really well, anyway. They say 'you did okay'," he added.

While the feeling persists Butt really needed to believe in himself all along, he insists that has never been a problem either.

"If you haven't got confidence in yourself then no one will have confidence in you. Personally I know what I am capable of and hopefully I can prove that in the next two weeks," he added.

"Anyone can play well in one game, even against Argentina, and then never again though. You have to continue playing well.

"Keano is a world-class player, he's been playing at the top level for years so that's why he's a dominant force.

"I can't say that I've played one good game so I'm the best player in England. That's a bit daft. I think the whole team played well against Argentina."

The difference is that some players, such as Butt and Trevor Sinclair, have so far exceeded all pre-tournament expectations about them.

Indeed, the 40-yard pass that sent Michael Owen scurrying towards goal in Sapporo was conjured out of thin air by the United midfielder.

"It's just a combination of confidence and keeping it simple. I'm not a player who can hit balls like Becks, but hopefully simple is effective," he said.

Sir Alex Ferguson has certainly never doubted Butt's ability, having once revealed he had turned down more offers for him than probably any other player in his time at United.

And Paul Scholes, who first played with Butt in a local Sunday league side in the Oldham area, has also not been surprised by the displays of his England and United team-mate.

"A lot of people seem to have been surprised with the way that he's played. But everyone who has known him and played with him is not," he said.

"That's just the player he is. He's always been a great player and I think people are just starting to take a bit more notice now."