‘Brazil and Argentina are candidates to win the World Cup’

“Brazil and Argentina are candidates to win the World Cup,” Kaka said in an interview with Marca on September 25. “I also like the Argentina team, they are playing more and more mature and have a good coach.”

Kaka, 40, was once one of the top midfielders in the world. This former player has 92 caps for Brazil and scored 29 goals. Kaka and his “Selecao” teammates won the 2002 World Cup, along with two Confederations Cup titles in 2005 and 2009.

When asked about the strength of the representatives from Europe, Kaka said: “They are still very formidable. We were disadvantaged after the birth of the Nations League. Teams in the Americas did not have the opportunity to compete. I’m against the big players in the region as much as the teams in Europe. In South America, Brazil won most of the games. This kept us from having the best development.”

According to Kaka, France is the most formidable opponent in the 2022 World Cup. The former midfielder said: “They have talented players and are the defending champions. In addition to France, Germany and Spain are also champions. They are strong teams. We should not ignore Portugal, it’s a talented group. I want to see how Cristiano Ronaldo will perform. Next is Belgium, they often fail in big tournaments. despite having a quality squad.”

When asked about Neymar’s role, Kaka said: “Neymar came to Qatar as the leader of the Brazilian team. It is important that beside him there is Vinicius. In the 2018 World Cup, Neymar was the only star. However, in the upcoming tournament, next to him will be Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Richarlison, Antony, … They are no longer immature players but have become talented faces.”

With Vinicius, Kaka analyzed: “Vini is the star of Real Madrid and also scored in the Champions League final in the 2021/22 season. Vini’s brilliance can put a little pressure on Neymar, who has always been loved in the country. National Team”.

Kaka also has his eye on the rapid rise of Rodrygo Goes, Real’s other young talent. The 40-year-old former player said: “He is a phenomenon. Currently, there are debates about whether Rodrygo should be called up for the World Cup or not. For me, he should definitely be named. He attended the World Cup at the age of 20 without leaving any mark on the national team. While Rodrygo is already a star at Real. Attending the World Cup will be a valuable experience for Rodrygo’s development.”

In June, Brazil was chosen by the bookie as the number one candidate for the World Cup 2022. “Selecao” fell into an easy group with the presence of Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. In the South American qualifiers, Brazil was unbeaten with a record of 14 wins and 3 draws.

Meanwhile, Argentina ranked 5th in the group of championship candidates. ESPN’s Tim Vickery believes that “Lionel Messi has the best support system in the national team ever”.

Duy Luan – Zing.vn | 14:55 September 26, 2022