Lionel Messi has said defending champions France and Brazil are the favourites to win the World Cup in Qatar as they have a core group of players who have played together for a long time.
Messi said Brazil, Germany, France, England and Spain are always labelled favourites to win but the 35-year-old forward feels France and Brazil are the best two teams going into the Nov.
20-Dec. 18 tournament. "We always say the same great teams ... but, if I have to choose, Brazil and France are the two great candidates to win the World Cup," Messi told DIRECTV Sports. "They've had the same group (of players) for a long time, working well.
France, aside from the last Euros when they were eliminated (in the last 16) and did badly, they have some impressive players. "They have a clear idea and the same coach (Didier Deschamps).