RIO DE JANEIRO: The legendary footballer Pele has predicted that Brazil will win the World Cup in Qatar for a sixth time. Brazil qualified for the world's biggest football tournament by finishing first in the 10-team South American group, six points ahead of Argentina in second place, and going undefeated in the process.
The 82-year-old posted on social media, "You may think that I'm too confident, but I feel that we will see Brazil win again." He uploaded a picture of himself holding the Jules Rimet award while driving by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to go along with the post.
Brazil, who last won the World Cup in 2002, will face Serbia to open their tournament on November 24. They will also play Switzerland and Cameroon in Group G.
Pele is the only player to have won the World Cup three times, taking home the trophy in 1958, 1962, and 1970. He is widely recognised as one of the greatest football players of all time. He had recently struggled with a number of medical conditions, including troubles with his spine, hip, knee, and kidneys. He had chemotherapy after having surgery to remove a tumour from his colon last year.
Despite doubts about his fitness, Edinson Cavani has been selected for Uruguay's FIFA World Cup team, the nation's football organisation announced on Thursday.
After sustaining an ankle injury during Valencia's 1-0 home loss to Barcelona on October 29, the 35-year-old Valencia striker has missed the Spanish club's last two games. Since transferring for free from Manchester United to Valencia in August, Cavani has scored four goals in seven games.
As was to be expected, Uruguay manager Diego Alonso selected a 26-man roster that also includes veteran Real Madrid player Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham Hotspur, and Darwin Nunez of Liverpool.
The two-time World Cup champions will face South Korea to open the tournament on November 24. They will then play Portugal and Ghana in Group H.
Uruguayan squad: Defenders Diego Godin, Josema Gimenez, Ronald Araujo, Sebastian Coates, Martin Caceres, Mathias Olivera, Matias Vina, Guillermo Varela, and Jose Luis Rodriguez; Goalkeepers Sergio Rochet, Fernando Muslera, and Sebastian Sosa.
Forwards include Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Darwin Nunez, Maxi Gomez, Facundo Pellistri, Agustin Canobbio, and Facundo Torres. Midfielders include Manuel Ugarte, Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Matias Vecino, Lucas Torreira, Nico de la Cruz, and Giorgian de Arrascaeta.
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