Buenos Aires: Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has said that the worst possible draw for Argentina at next year’s World Cup would be Spain in the first round. “The worst that could happen to us would be to draw Spain in the group stages,” Messi told ‘TyC Sports’ Wednesday from Moscow where Argentina will be playing Russia in a friendly, November 11. “I would prefer to avoid them, they’d be very tough opponents.”
In an interview with the Argentinia TV, Messi, has named Brazil, Germany and France alongside Spain as favourites to win the World Cup in Russia. “I think they’re the strongest teams at the moment who give the best impressions, with the best individuals.”
Messi, who helped Argentina to qualify for the World Cup finals with a hat-trick in a rare 3-1 away victory over Ecuador also said that he always believed that Argentina would make it to the big event.
However, he reiterated that he would like to end his career in his Argentinian birthplace of Rosario. “I would love to play for Newell’s Old Boys (the club from where he started his career), in the stadium where I’ve seen so many matches. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming years, how I’m going to feel. I live from day to day, I’m not focused on the future. But yes ending my career at my birthplace would be nice,” Messi stated.
agence france-presse
