Lionel Messi tips England as one of the five favourites for the 2022 World Cup
Lionel Messi is tipping England as one of the favourites for this winter’s World Cup in Qatar.
The PSG megastar will lead Argentina’s bid for World Cup glory next month, with the side currently on a 34-match unbeaten run, in what is likely to be Messi’s final international tournament for his country.
Messi believes that Gareth Southgate’s team, along with Brazil, France, Germany and Spain will provide the tournament’s biggest threats, although he says there are two nations that standout from the rest.
Talking to RMC Sport the 35-year-old said: ‘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.’
The 2022 World Cup presents its own problems coming midway through a domestic season, with injuries a major concern to sides going straight into a tournament.
Argentina are sweating on the fitness of both Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala going into the finals and Messi says there are worries ahead of the start of the finals on November 20th.
‘Injuries are a worry. 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.’
It’s something you think about but I feel going out to play with that in your head can be contradictory as well.’
‘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.’
The 2022 World Cup presents a last chance for Messi to add the only thing missing from his incredible footballing CV – a World Cup winners medal.
The closest he came to winning the tournament was in 2014, when Argentina made it all the way to the final before losing to Germany thanks to Mario Gotze’s extra time winner.
