While the man of the moment collected the adidas Golden Shoe and the adidas Golden Ball, his team-mates waited in line, ready to receive their FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Rio de Janeiro 2007 winners' medals. Buru then hurried to join them, held the trophies aloft and embraced his team-mates, sharing his moment of personal glory with each and every member of the team.

That was a typical show of modesty from the 31-year-old forward, who received 49 per cent of the votes cast by the media for the world's best player, a sizeable share that owed much to the ten goals and three assists that also helped him finish the tournament as top scorer. Still covered in sand after Sunday's final, the hero of the hour chatted exclusively with FIFA.com.

FIFA.com: Buru, can you describe your feelings to us?
Buru: I'm very happy to have won the title in the last tournament to be played in Brazil and to have received these two individual awards for the first time ever. They're a reward for the hard work my team-mates and I have put in here.

Why did the final turn out so differently to the group game?
Because we can make certain mistakes once but not twice. Our concentration and inspiration were greater today. We were aware it was a final in front of our own fans and we showed the skill and technique that this team possesses. Our will to win was the key.

Why did Brazil only start to hit their stride in the quarter-finals?
In the first phase we were a bit too uptight. After the second game we started to loosen up a little, and once we got past the group phase the team hit top gear. We knew we were up against teams we couldn't afford to make mistakes against. We started picking our game up then and you could tell the difference on an individual and a group level.

Did you expect to win the adidas Golden Ball and the adidas Golden Shoe?
No, they both came as a surprise to me. I had a feeling Brazil would be champions, but playing alongside the likes of Benjamin, Andre and Bruno and with Madjer in the competition too I would never have expected to win one, let alone two trophies (laughs). Even so, the best prize of all is the title. Not many footballers win two world titles but I have.

Do you think Brazil are invincible?
Sometimes, yes. Two-time world champions, 57 games unbeaten ... But we know we've got to demand more of ourselves and train harder because the standards have improved. The emergence of Mexico, Russia and the African teams is proof of that. Brazil are unbeatable today, that's true, but if we stop preparing properly then we soon won't be the best.

How do you stay motivated after winning so many titles?
The motivation comes from within the team. You go training and everyone's smiling and it just makes you feel like playing and winning. The dedication of a young guy like Daniel or someone like Junior Negao is an inspiration. We get on really well and we always want more.

Finally, what is you opinion of the tournament overall?
This is the year beach soccer sent out a message to the world. Everything's set up for it to become a professional sport. There are more and more competitive leagues. We've just seen a spectacular World Cup with very well prepared teams, and I hope it stays that way. I hope the sport grows, not only in South America but all over the world.