Ronaldo: Brazil favourites for 2014 WC

Brazilian football icon Ronaldo believes that his country is the favorites to win the Fifa World Cup in 2014.
Speaking after the hosts’ Fifa Confederations Cup final win on Sunday, the 36-year-old said that the success could be a stepping stone for Brazil to win the biggest title in international football for the sixth time.

Brazil beat current world champions Spain 3-0 to seal the Confederations Cup crown and Ronaldo, who scored 62 goals in 98 games for his nation, believes his countrymen can win the competition on home soil.

“I think that the Brazilian team is again the Brazilian team, the favorite to win the title,” he said. “I think that the national team showed very good potential, it is again one of the main national teams in the world, (they) gained again respect, and I think they could do even better.”

Ronaldo is the top World Cup goal scorer of all- time, with 15 in the three tournaments between 1998 and 2006, one ahead of German duo Miroslav Klose and Gerd Mueller.

Worst protests
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has attempted to downplay protests against the World Cup in Brazil following the Confederations Cup.
While conceding there were concerns about Brazil’s ability to get ready for next year’s World Cup finals at the start of the Confederations Cup, Blatter argued he is optimistic about the 2014 tournament.

Blatter argued the protesters are now ‘resting’ despite up to 5,000 people having marched in protest to Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium before Confederations Cup final.

Blatter seemed to reaffirm his commitment to holding the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, claiming he was looking forward to returning to the South American country in December for the draw, while the 77-year-old Fifa president tried to play down the Brazilian public’s protests.

Protesters have generally been frustrated by the Brazilian government’s commitment to building new football stadiums instead of improving the lives of the country’s population.