Pele unconvinced by Brazil. 'We don't have the right team!'

[Kabalega]

This is becoming a theme song for Russia bound teams.


Pele unconvinced by Brazil ahead of World Cup: 'We still don't have the right team'

4:51 PM PT

SAO PAULO -- Brazil may be five-time winners of the World Cup and joint-favourites to make it six in Russia this year, but the South Americans do not yet have the right blend for success, three-time World Cup winner Pele said on Wednesday.

Brazil have lost once in 20 games since Tite took over as coach almost two years ago but he has been forced to chop and change his side in recent friendlies due to injuries.

"I have the utmost confidence in Tite's ability," Pele told Reuters. "My worry is about one thing; there are only a few days until the World Cup starts and we still don't have the right team. Individually all the players are very good. But we're not a team."

Talismanic forward Neymar injured a foot and ankle in February and full-back Dani Alves dropped out of the squad due to a knee injury. Renato Augusto and Douglas Costa picked up strains that kept them out of Sunday's 2-0 win over Croatia.


Neymar returned at half-time in that match to lead Brazil to victory and Pele, the only player to have won the World Cup three times, said the Paris Saint-Germain striker was capable of inspiring Brazil to the title in Russia.

"Neymar is, to me, one of the best players in the world," Pele said. "Today he is more mature and he has more experience but he isn't going to win the World Cup on his own. It's teams that win the World Cup.

"The greatest Brazil team of all-time was the one in 1970, with Tostao, Rivellino, Gerson and Pele all wearing the No. 10 shirts for their clubs. In the 1970 World Cup, we spent more than six months together. That's why it worked."

Brazil have played only three friendlies this year and face one final warm-up match on Sunday against Austria in Vienna.

They kick off their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 17, before facing Costa Rica and Serbia in Group E.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/brazil/story ... right-team

[soccernut]

Pele is right! This Brazil team will lose to France and Germany.

[Prince]

That means brazil will win

[Kabalega]

That means brazil will win

This might be Pele's way of getting Brazil to win.

[Waffiman]

Chai! Pele don tok. Brazil win.

[King Futcha]

for once Pele is right, this Brasil team is not it.

[cchinukw]

They still manage to extract wins on the way to Russia.

[YemiBrazil]

I believe in Tite!!!

[hestonap]

And Brazil just won the WC judging by Pele’s previous predictions.

[oloye]

Brazil just won the cup with this prediction...where is the betting centre?

[mcal]

...Pele like many headless chicken Nigerian fans is clueless.
Abeg give us Brazil 2nd eleven

[wale1974]

Same Pele way yarn rubbish about African team winning the WC

Abeg Joor

[airwolex]

Funny enough I think they have a fantastic team. They finally have two good forwards in Jesus and Firmino. Last WC I believe Fred and Jo were their strikers. Coutinho, Willian and Neymar are game changers. They have a solid keeper and experienced defenders. I believe they are the favorites.

[platinum]

for once Pele is right, this Brasil team is not it.

In your estimation, which brazilian team was last 'it'?

Pele....the gods messed him with two gifts. Football, and always being wrong.

[King Futcha]

Funny enough I think they have a fantastic team. They finally have two good forwards in Jesus and Firmino. Last WC I believe Fred and Jo were their strikers. Coutinho, Willian and Neymar are game changers. They have a solid keeper and experienced defenders. I believe they are the favorites.

they lack a true leader, i don't trust them if they fall behind.

where will coutinho play? willian is valuable but i wouldn't call him a game changer...ancient center backs, danilo is a huge question mark. marcelo is my favorite but he is more like a winger and will leave acres of space as he bombs forward.

with all that said they will be eliminated in the quarters, i will be sure to put money on it

[King Futcha]

Funny enough I think they have a fantastic team. They finally have two good forwards in Jesus and Firmino. Last WC I believe Fred and Jo were their strikers. Coutinho, Willian and Neymar are game changers. They have a solid keeper and experienced defenders. I believe they are the favorites.

they lack a true leader, i don't trust them if they fall behind.

where will coutinho play? willian is valuable but i wouldn't call him a game changer...ancient center backs, danilo is a huge question mark. marcelo is my favorite but he is more like a winger and will leave acres of space as he bombs forward.

with all that said they will be eliminated in the quarters, i will be sure to put money on it

[kajifu]

Funny enough I think they have a fantastic team. They finally have two good forwards in Jesus and Firmino. Last WC I believe Fred and Jo were their strikers. Coutinho, Willian and Neymar are game changers. They have a solid keeper and experienced defenders. I believe they are the favorites.

they lack a true leader, i don't trust them if they fall behind.

where will coutinho play? willian is valuable but i wouldn't call him a game changer...ancient center backs, danilo is a huge question mark. marcelo is my favorite but he is more like a winger and will leave acres of space as he bombs forward.

with all that said they will be eliminated in the quarters, i will be sure to put money on it

Take a bow,abeg give me some number let me go play lottery

[Prince]

Stick to football if i see you in boxing section

[Enugu II]

Funny enough I think they have a fantastic team. They finally have two good forwards in Jesus and Firmino. Last WC I believe Fred and Jo were their strikers. Coutinho, Willian and Neymar are game changers. They have a solid keeper and experienced defenders. I believe they are the favorites.

KPOM. Brazil is a very good team and I do not believe this loss should change that. Today just was not a day of luck for them. They had a bag full of opportunities.

[Ipe Grams]

Without VAR Brazil would have been awarded more penalties .

[Field Marshall Ogolo]

For a country with 103 million people of African heritage, where are brothers like Pele, Josimar or Robinho? Instead we have diving queens like Neymar,! The
France , England and Belgium have discovered that the secret to success is to let Africans do their thang! Amandla!!

[mate]

Brazil needs the Zinga.

[Eaglezbeak]

Oh well,Pele knows best!