|
Pele: Brazil to win final in 90 minutes
Posted: Friday July 10, 1998 11:54 PM
| |
Pele: "Brazil has the best forwards and France have the best defense. It is going to be a very nice game"
(AP) |
PARIS, July 10 (Reuters)- There is no need to worry about the World Cup
final going to a penalty shootout- Pele says it will be all over in 90
minutes on Sunday and Brazil will win.
Millions of television viewers were disappointed that the last final in
1994 between Brazil and Italy had to be
decided by penalties after the two teams finished goalless after extra
time. Brazil won the shoot-out.
But Pele believes France and
Brazil can provide enough goals to decide the outcome much faster at the
Stade de France.
"I don't think it will go to overtime. It will be decided in the 90
minutes," the former Brazilian World Cup winner said on Friday. Asked who
would win it, he added: "Brazil, of course."
Pele said he thought the French would not be able to produce the
intensity of attacking football they have tried to play during the rest of
the tournament because they were facing the strongest attacking team in the
world.
"The teams will play to win. The French team will not play completely the
way they have done. They will have to go more carefully," he said. "Brazil
have the best forwards and France have the best defence. It is going to be
a very nice game."
Pele said he thought history could be on the side of the Brazilians. They
are the only team from South America to have won the World Cup outside the
continent when they clinched the first of their four triumphs in 1958 in
Sweden.
Then a 17-year-old Pele scored twice as the Brazilians beat Sweden 5-2 in
Stockholm. Brazil's present coach Mario Zagallo also got on the scoresheet.
"Brazil are the only team to have won the World Cup out of the continent.
Then it was against Sweden, the home team. Here it is against the home
team. Everthing is going normally," he said.
Pele said he expected Brazilian captain Dunga to play a crucial role for
the world champions.
"Dunga is a player who can bring confidence to a team. He shouts at the
players. He gets them to push for everything. In the final there is a big
responsibility. You must have someone like that," he said.
The absence of French defender Laurent Blanc, who was sent off in the
semifinal against Croatia and is
therefore suspended for the final, could be a huge blow for the home team,
according to the world's most famous footballer.
"Blanc played well with (Marcel) Desailly. Now the coach has to change,
it is a big loss."
Pele had a great deal of sympathy for the Netherlands
who were beaten by Brazil in a penalty shoot-out in their semifinal on
Tuesday.
The Dutch will now have to play Saturday's play-off match against Croatia
instead of walking out at the Stade de France for the final.
"Holland was one of the teams that impressed me the most. Holland and
France played some of the most open soccer," Pele said. "Their problem was
that they had to face Brazil before the final."
| Related information |
| Multimedia |
 Click here for the latest audio and video
|
| Search our site | Watch CNN/SI on cable 24 hours a day |
|
|
Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call 1-888-53-CNNSI. |
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
| 
