Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona does not rate Nigeria too highly as he believes that the African Champions will not defeat Argentina at the 2014 FIFA World Cup holding in Brazil next June.
Nigeria and Argentina will go head-to-head on June 25 in a Group F game at the 2014 World Cup group stage finals. And Maradona, who is regarded as one of the most successful players of all-time, believes the Albiceleste will be too strong for the Super Eagles to handle.
The 53-year-old also believes Argentina will easily overcome the challenge of the other two nations in the group, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"I do not see any team in Group F beating us. We are too strong for them,” Maradona said.
Moreover, Maradona, who played a crucial role when Argentina won their second and last World Cup title in Mexico in 1986, has also insisted that the Lionel Messi led Argentine squad would lift the trophy for a third time in Brazil next summer.
“We are going to win our third World Cup. It is going to happen again in Brazil. Argentina will be champions of the world, but they are going to have to fight against the ‘Morochos’ (Brazil).
“They (Brazil) are very tough. The success of 1986 will be repeated and it will be in Brazil,” he said.
Apart from Brazil, Maradona also believes Germany and the Netherlands will prove to be tough customers for Argentina next year.
“Germany and Holland are in good shape, Italy not so much and Spain are getting bored of their own tactics. They go forward and forward, but cannot convert,” he added.
Maradona made 91 appearances and netted 34 goals for Argentina between 1977 and 1994.