Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said that a collective team effort was the decisive factor in his side's 2-0 win over Belgium.
And striker Ronaldo - who scored against Belgium - said Brazil will have to be at their best if they are to overcome England in their quarter-final match on Friday.
Belgium played well against the favourites and Marc Wilmots seemed unfortunate to have a headed goal disallowed after 36 minutes.
But Rivaldo and Ronaldo both scored second-half goals as Brazil booked their place in the last eight - setting up the first match between the four-times champions and England since their famous meeting at the World Cup in 1970.
"It was work done by the whole team," said Scolari.
"I am very happy with my team. It is exactly what I expected."
"We have individuals who are very good in the final third and we have to mention Ronaldo who by himself can take away two defenders and disturb the Belgian backline."
Scolari admitted that the match against Belgium was a potential banana skin - and said that he is relieved to have reached the quarter-final.
"Everyone including our fans was very worried before this
game but I kept telling them that this was a team with great
fighting qualities and that is what we showed," he said.
"We knew about the way Belgium would play with the high balls
but we prepared for this and were able to cope.
"The players pulled together and we knew we had to score
goals and we have the players to score goals, like Ronaldo."
Scolari did not want to discuss Friday's match against England - but Ronaldo predicted that the contest will be extremely tight.
"The World Cup starts now, every match is going to be a final,"
"Playing England is going to be like a great final.
"We must think about England. I think the match against
England is going to be better because they play better football.
"We will be very evenly matched."
"We're going to have to analyse their best points and we're going to
have to wait up to the last minute for a result like we did against Belgium."