WORLD CUP OF SURPRISES
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) – German legend Jurgen Klinsmann said on Saturday that an underdog could go far in what he is predicting will be a "World Cup of surprises" in Qatar.
The hosts play Ecuador in the opening game Sunday of the first World Cup held in the northern hemisphere winter.
The change from the usual June-july slot means this World Cup falls in the middle of the club season in Europe, where the majority of leading players are based. This is also just the second World Cup in Asia.
"I think this could be a World Cup of surprises because if some of the kind of underdogs -- maybe if it's an African nation, if it's an Asian team -- if they are courageous I think you can go actually far in this tournament," Klinsmann told a press conference in Doha.
"It is not a tournament to sit back and defend. I think it's a tournament that really invites you to go, be courageous and go forward.
"I don't think you go very far if you just have a defensive approach in this tournament," added Klinsmann.
Now 58, the former striker played in the West Germany team that won the World Cup in 1990 and later coached Germany to third place as hosts in 2006.
Qatar will finally get their home World Cup under way on Sunday, 12 years a er the nation's successful bid put into motion wide-ranging preparations which cost billions of dollars.
It is widely accepted the Gulf state has spent $200 billion on hosting football's biggest event and Qatar will get its first glimpse at the final product at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor when the hosts take on Ecuador.
Organisers say that 2.9 million of the 3.1 million tickets have been sold and they will be expecting a 60,000 sell-out on Sunday.
The home team's players have also been preparing tirelessly, spending months outside Qatar in isolated training camps, in an attempt to reach the knockout phase on their World Cup debut.