Angel Di Maria believes France is a top contender for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. He says they are always producing great players and continue to play top-level football.
Buenos Aires: Argentine football hero Angel Di Maria has picked his favourites for the next FIFA World Cup. Di Maria, who scored a crucial goal in Argentina's 2022 World Cup final win in Qatar, shared his thoughts in an interview with 'Ballon d'Or' after retiring from international football.
Di Maria named three European powerhouses—France, Spain, and Portugal—as the teams that will put up a tough fight for the title. He said, "France is always a frontrunner because they consistently produce amazing players. They are still playing at a very high level."
He also pointed to Spain, saying they are in great form and can pull off some surprises, but added that a lot depends on how their injured players make a comeback. His third pick is Portugal, led by his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. "Young talents like Vitinha and João Neves are giving Portugal a new style and bringing them success," Di Maria explained.
Of course, Di Maria also backed his own team, Argentina, to perform well. He believes the new generation of youngsters will challenge and energise the senior players. "The new generation in the team will push the senior players to do even better. Their hard work to earn a spot will only benefit the team," he said.
He also shared a key insight into the team's mentality, quoting coach Lionel Scaloni. "Coach Lionel Scaloni always says one thing: the only player with a guaranteed spot in this team is Lionel Messi. Nobody else's position is fixed." Di Maria added that Scaloni doesn't just say this, he proves it. "We all saw it in the 2022 World Cup when he brought in Enzo Fernández, who then played so well that he cemented his place in the starting eleven."
Di Maria concluded that this very idea—that no one's spot is safe—is what keeps the players giving their 100%. He feels this is the secret sauce that keeps Argentina at the top of world football.
