2022-11-27T07:01:19+05:30
Luis Figo, who is in Mumbai as part of Viacom18’s expert panel for Qatar 2022, interacts with journalists on Saturday.
Luis Figo answers before the question can even be completed. “Brazil,” he says naming the team he believes has the strongest credentials to win the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
“I would love it if Portugal wins. They can win, of course. But honestly, Brazil is the strongest team at the World Cup. I liked what I saw in the second half (of their game against Serbia). They played very fast, very aggressive football, with and without the ball. They created a lot offensively. But not just in terms of their first game… in terms of players too, they can actually have two teams. Sometimes in a competition (like the World Cup, depth) is very important,” said the Portuguese football legend, who is in Mumbai as part of Viacom18’s expert panel for Qatar 2022.
Brazil brushed aside Serbia 2-0 in their opening encounter, but were left with a frown on their foreheads after talisman Neymar limped off with an ankle injury that will see him miss a couple of games.
“He can rest and be fit for the rest (of the tournament),” shrugged Figo before adding: “I don’t know how hard the injury is and how he will come back. Of course, Neymar is Neymar, and you cannot put another player in place of him with the same quality. But they have so many top players on the bench that if he rests for two games and comes back into the team fresher, he can provide an important value for Brazil.”
Talking about the other big teams which he felt had lived to their top billing, he said: “It’s a long competition. You have to wait a bit. You saw with England (versus USA). Each game is a final. Spain, England, and France were very strong in their first games. But you have to wait and see,” he said.
Talking about Portugal, Figo believed they have the calibre to excel in the World Cup, maybe even go all the way.
“It’s always important to start with a win. It makes you confident for the rest of the competition. There’s always something that you can improve. Of course, Ghana was not one of the toughest opponents. But Portugal can play much better. Portugal has a very good team; we have good players playing for the best clubs in the world. In terms of talent, Portugal is one of the best teams in the competition. But let’s see what we can do in terms of the next games.”
Portugal is a nation with a population of just 10.2 million. Yet, the Iberian nation has won two FIFA U-20 World Cups in 1989 and 1991 beside the European Championships in 2016.
On being asked what made Portugal consistently punch above its weight, Figo, who was a part of that U20 World Cup-winning side in 1991, said: “We’re a country that cannot compete with England or Spain in terms of financial conditions at the club level. So, we have to focus on producing players. Our clubs work very well in terms of grassroots development. We have good competitions, good facilities, and good coaches so that brings us success. So, we’ve always had talent.”
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