LIONEL MESSI has named England among the runners and riders to win the World Cup this winter.
The Argentina legend will bid to lead his nation to World Cup glory in Qatar in December in what will likely be his final international tournament.
And the Paris Saint-Germain ace believes the Three Lions – along with Brazil, France, Germany and Spain – will pose the biggest threat to La Albileceste’s bid to get their hands on the Jules Rimet Trophy.
He told RMC Sport: “As for the favourites, there are big teams like Brazil, Germany, France, England and Spain.
“And I’m sure I’m forgetting some.
“But if I have to keep one or two, today I think Brazil and France are the two big candidates for this World Cup.”
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Messi, 35, came agonisingly close to winning the World Cup in the summer of 2014.
Argentina locked horns with Germany in the 2014 final in Brazil but suffered a 1-0 defeat to Die Mannschaft thanks to an extra-time winner from Mario Gotze.
Messi is currently sweating on his fitness ahead of the tournament after missing PSG’s last two matches with a calf strain.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner said: “Injuries are a worry.
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“This is a different World Cup which is played at a different time of the year to previous tournaments and it is so imminent any little thing that happens to you can force you out.
“With what happened to Dybala and Di Maria, the truth is that personally you worry and you’re more afraid when you see those sort of things.”
He continued: “It’s something you think about but I feel going out to play with that in your head can be contradictory as well.
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“The best thing you can do is perform as normal and play your game as you always do.
“I hope [Angel] Di Maria and [Paulo] Dybala recover in time. They have enough time to do so and reach the tournament in good shape.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
