Former striker says he cannot get behind his country\u2019s great rivals Argentina to win title
\n DOHA
\nFormer Brazil star Ronaldo says he cannot get behind his country\u2019s great sporting rivals Argentina at the FIFA World Cup 2022 and backs France as \u201cbig favourites\u201d to retain their title.
\nLionel Messi likely has one final chance to lift the only major trophy missing from his collection, but Ronaldo will not be rooting for the South Americans in Tuesday\u2019s semi-final against Croatia.
\n\u201cI\u2019m not going to be a hypocrite and say I\u2019ll be happy for Argentina\u201d if they win the World Cup, said Ronaldo. \u201cBut I see football as a romantic. And I will appreciate any champion.\u201d
\n\u201cSince the beginning, my prediction has always been Brazil and France in the final,\u201d the two-time World Cup winner told media including AFP at a roundtable in Doha.
\n\u201cBrazil are no longer there. But France, match after match, are backing up their status as favourites and I still see them as the big favourites.\u201d
\nRonaldo, who scored both goals in the 2002 World Cup final against Germany, expects France to see off surprise semi-finalists Morocco on Wednesday.
\n\u201cI would really like (Morocco to win) but I don\u2019t think they will. I think France have a very solid team, whether it\u2019s in defence, attack or midfield,\u201d said the twice former Ballon d\u2019Or winner.
\nRonaldo has in particular been impressed by Kylian Mbappe, the tournament\u2019s leading scorer in Qatar with five goals.
\n\u201cHe knows how to use his skills, how to go faster than the others. And he uses them to give assists or to score,\u201d said Ronaldo, who expects the 23-year-old Mbappe to shatter numerous records.
\n\u201cHe has the time, the skills, he\u2019s thirsty and he has the talent to conquer it all, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d
\nRonaldo paid tribute to Morocco\u2019s performances after the Atlas Lions became the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final and the first Arab team to do so.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s a great football story that an African team is in the semi-finals of a World Cup,\u201d he said. \u201cI saw the reactions in Morocco, what football gives us is very beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former striker says he cannot get behind his country\u2019s great rivals Argentina to win title DOHA Former Brazil star Ronaldo says he cannot get behind his country\u2019s great sporting rivals Argentina at the FIFA World Cup 2022 and backs France as \u201cbig favourites\u201d to retain their title. Lionel Messi likely has one final chance to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":301113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-301088","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n