Mexico City, October 19 (BNA) Argentina captain Lionel Messi said that defending champions France and Brazil are the favorites to win the World Cup in Qatar because they have a core group of players who have played together for a long time.
Messi said Brazil, Germany, France, England and Spain were always the favourites, but the 35-year-old felt that France and Brazil were the two best teams from November 20 to December. 18 championships, Reuters reported.
“We always say the same great teams…but if I had to choose, Brazil and France are the two great favorites to win the World Cup,” Messi told DIRECTV Sports.
“They’ve had the same group of players for a long time, and they’re doing well. France, apart from the last Euro when they were eliminated in the Round of 16 and did poorly, they have some great players.
“They have a clear idea and the coach himself is Didier Deschamps. Brazil is a bit the same, under Tite.”
Messi did not mention Argentina, unbeaten in 35 matches, among the favorites despite Lionel Scaloni’s team winning the America’s Cup last year by beating Brazil in the final.
But Argentina recently suffered injuries to key players Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria.
Scaloni described the crowding of football matches in October as appalling but urged his players not to back down to avoid injury risks ahead of the World Cup.
“We are in a very difficult phase. The players are playing a lot of games,” Scaloni told AFAestudio.
“There can be problems because there are injuries and suspensions. It is part of being an outstanding player and a player in the national team.
“I’m worried, but there’s not much you can do. I think a player should go out on the field to play and not think about what’s going to happen, it could be harmful. Let them play normally.”
Argentina will meet the United Arab Emirates in November in their last warm-up match before heading to the World Cup, where they play their opening Group C match against Saudi Arabia on November 22. Mexico and Poland are the other two teams in the group.
familiar