Neymar forgot about England when picking his contenders to win the World Cup this winter, then chose Jadon Sancho as one of two English players he loves, after the winger missed out on the squad.
The Brazilian clearly does not have England anywhere near the front of his mind as he heads to Qatar, with his country expected to go far and potentially win their first World Cup since 2002.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward reckons there are a few other serious contenders to lift the trophy in December, although England did not spring to mind when he was naming them.
‘I believe the favourites are Argentina, Germany, Spain and France,’ Neymar told The Telegraph. ‘I think those four along with Brazil are fully capable of reaching the final.’
When asked about England’s chances, the striker did concede that he had forgotten about Gareth Southgate’s men, but he may also have forgotten about Sancho’s form this season.
The Manchester United winger did not even get very close to the England squad in the end due to poor performances for the Red Devils, but Neymar still picked him out as a Englishman he loves to watch.
‘I really forgot about England but obviously they have a chance!’ Neymar said. ‘I really like (Harry) Kane and (Jadon) Sancho. They’re two incredible players and I have a special love for them because I like players that have their qualities.’
Brazil play their first game on 24 November against Serbia, with Switzerland and Cameroon also in their group.
If they top that group, as expected by most, they would face the runners-up in Group H in the last 16, which could be Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay or South Korea.
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