May 12, 2002

BUENOS AIRES, May 9 (AFP) - It's all or nothing for Argentina at the World Cup finals, said midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron.

"For us it's the World Cup or nothing," the Manchester United player told the Rivadavia radio station.

"So many great hopes and expectations have been built up around this side, that we have no choice but to go out there and win the title."

Veron said that World Cup success could also play an important role in boosting morale in a country wracked by economic and political woes over the last few months.

"Sport cannot resolve all our problems, but it can at least reunite us a little bit more.

"As a team we want to bring back the happiness to people in their daily lives, a happiness that has been hard to come by in recent times."

Veron said that he would not play in Manchester United's last league match at the weekend as Arsenal had now won the title, and instead would join up with Marcelo Bielsa's squad at a training camp outside of Rome on Friday.

"It's not been a great year for me or for my team, but you can't win all the time and I am am quite happy in England," he said.

Veron also had praise for Bielsa saying he was a top-class coach. "He works hard and is a real professional with a great love for his country," he said.

Argentina are in the same group as England, Sweden and Nigeria for the World Cup finals.