(Buenos Aires) The Argentina team is in a good period as the World Cup-2022 approaches (November 20-December 18 in Qatar), but the favorites for the planetary title are Brazil and France, said Lionel Messi on Friday.
Posted at 10:25 a.m.
“Brazil and France are the two big candidates (for the title), those (for whom) it looks best. France have impressive players, very clear ideas, and Brazil a bit the same,” the Albiceleste captain said in an interview with Argentinian television DirectTV Sports.
The Argentinian goal record holder (90) also mentioned Germany, England and Spain among the main contenders for the coronation.
“With Argentina we are doing well at the moment, people are enthusiastic […] They (the fans) think we’ll come back with the Cup, but it’s not that easy. A lot of things can happen, ”assured the Paris SG player.
Messi, 35, is “looking forward to it, to fighting us, to playing anyone”.
In the first match (against Saudi Arabia, November 22), the striker expects the first fifteen “nervous” minutes before he can “let go”.
In Group C, Argentina’s other opponents are Mexico and Poland.
Undefeated for 35 games in all competitions, Argentina advance to Qatar with a lot of certainty and can aim for the record held by Italy of 37 consecutive games without defeat (between 2018 and 2021).
“It’s great, but in the end it’s a statistic,” played down Messi, who was complimentary, referring to coach Lionel Scaloni “for his own way of communicating, of treating the players. He knows how to prepare the matches well, he reads the meetings well ”.
Asked about the fact that this World Cup, his fifth, could be his last, the Argentinian prodigy considered this question “normal, because of his age, 35 years old”.
” We have to be realistic. We will then see (what will happen) at the level of the condition. I think day by day,” he explained, currently judging himself “much better physically than last year.”