FRANKFURT, Germany – Brazil won the FIFA Confederations Cup for the second time, beating Argentina 4-1 yesterday behind a pair of goals by Adriano.

Kaka and Ronaldinho also scored for the defending World Cup champions, who played the tournament without top forward Ronaldo and other stars such as Roberto Carlos and Cafu.

“It’s wonderful for Brazil to have so many talented forwards,” Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. “We have many good players, and I don’t think other teams have so many, so I think that it’s a good problem. We have good replacements. It’s wonderful.”

Adriano, who led the tournament with five goals, scored in the 11th minute when he collected a ball from Cicinho, turned inside between two defenders, jumped over a third, and beat goalkeeper German Lux with a powerful left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty. Adriano got another goal in the 63rd when he outjumped Gabriel Heinze and headed in Cicinho’s cross from six yards.

Kaka scored from 20 yards in the 16th minute off a short pass from Robinho, and Ronaldinho headed Cicinho’s cross into the goal in the 47th. Robinho nearly scored in the 57th minute, hitting the crossbar. Pablo Aimar got Argentina’s goal in the 65th minute.

“We put on a great show,” Ronaldinho said. “It was our best performance of the competition.”

Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, also won this tournament in 1997.

In the third-place game at Leipzig, Michael Ballack scored on a free kick seven minutes into overtime to lead Germany over Mexico 4-3.