Speaking at a sponsor’s event in Moscow’s Red Square on Friday to mark a year to go before the 2018 tournament, Pele shrugged off concerns about the form of the hosts, as well as his own country.
Pele, who won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970, said a year is a long time in soccer, and predicted the likes of Argentina, Brazil and Russia will be strong when the competition starts in 12 months’ time.
He said, “Listen. I used to say football all over the world, they have some challenges. Brazil have a little problem, Argentina have some problem, they change half of the players, the Russian football almost the same.
“The most important is to be well for the next World Cup. We have a Brazil and Russia and we have at least one year from now to prepare a nice team to play in the final. Then I want to come here and see Brazil and Russia in the final.”
Terry Paul
Paul Terry is a publisher and an author in wowplus.net and other news channel
