CARLOS BACKS BRAZIL TO LIFT WORLD CUP

Roberto Carlos insists Brazil are favourites to win the 2018 World Cup in Russia and has backed Neymar (in pic) to star at the tournament. “Brazil are favourites,” he told Omnisport. The Selecao are second behind Germany with the bookmakers. “I’m Brazilian, of course I’ll want Brazil to win the World Cup. “I see Brazil playing and I can’t find any other team which is playing like them. The Brazilian squad is a group, it’s not only Neymar. That’s such a strong group. And beyond that, they have an extraordinary coach. Brazil is the favourite. When you lose a game as we lost in 2014, or having been eliminated in the semis, what I see is that, with this new coach and this squad, it’s time Brazil starts winning again.” The 44-year-old believes Brazil, who face Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia in the group stage, will catch their opponents off guard in Russia. “One squad with five world titles must win the sixth,” he continued. “Spain has one, but they have a great squad. The thing is that everybody knows how Spain is playing. Brazil has a new model of playing football. This can be a surprise to the opponents.” Neymar is recovering from foot surgery after fracturing a metatarsal during Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 clash against Marseille in February. “Neymar is going the right way,” added Roberto Carlos. “It’s a pity about this injury but Neymar is doing everything right to be the best in the world.”