May 24, 2002

BUENOS AIRES, May 23 (AFP) -- Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona said here Thursday Argentina and France were worthy favourites to reach the World Cup final.

However Maradona, who virtually single-handedly led Argentina to the 1986 trophy, added the other traditional strongmen of world football Germany, Brazil and Italy should not be discounted while England too could be the dark horses.

Maradona, though, heaped praise on the current champions France saying they were much more than just a one-man team in the shape of the world's most expensive footballer Zinedine Zidane.

"France is much more than about Zinedine Zidane and have completely bewitched me," he told daily Ole.

"The team is an outstanding unit who have been playing together for years and have Zidane there to deliver the final pass," he added.

However he said Argentina would run the French close given their record over the past year during the qualifiers and several friendlies in Europe.

"They have come together well as they demonstrated in the qualifiers and then winning friendlies in Europe over Italy, Germany and Spain.

"If Argentina stand up well in the Group of Death (Group F along with England, Nigeria and Sweden) and win it then they will go on to win the title because in many respects that will be tougher to win than the final itself," he said.

Maradona discounted the possibility of there being a shock winner. "The team that makes it to the final are always those who can stand the pressure the most and the usual suspects are Brazil, Italy and Germany.

"When have Tunisia or Belgium contested a final? Neither of them will ever make it to a World Cup final," he said.