Former World Cup winner Pele said that he hopes for an African finalist in South Africa despite seeing Spain and Brazil as the favourites.
Pele famously predicted that there would be an African World Cup winner before the end of the last century and with the tournament set to be held on the continent for the first time he is hopeful of an African team reaching the July 11 final.
He told Britain’s Daily Mirror : “Spain and Brazil have the best teams, but it is difficult to point to a favourite team. I would love to see Brazil playing one of the African teams in the final.
“I have good knowledge of Africa and I have no doubts that it will be a great World Cup this summer. It will be a good tournament, well organised and very exciting.
“Brazil will have to be at their best to win the World Cup this summer. It will be hard but they can do it.” Pele also picked out England as strong candidates when he said: I know (Fabio) Capello and he is a great coach. England has a very strong team, a lot of good players, and (Wayne) Rooney is very dangerous.” Pele also criticized players playing for money and not for the love of the game. He added: “It’s normal now you see players playing for six months or even three months with one team then they change team. They go for the money.
The players go to another team, they’re at the presentation and they say: ‘I love Real Madrid’, then two months later they move to Arsenal or Man United and two months later at the presentation, they say: ‘I love this club’.”
