Alberto, Gullit, Cole champion 2018 bids
Reuters - Sunday 21 November 2010, 22:25
RIO DE JANEIRO - Former players Carlos
Alberto, Ruud Gullit and Andrew Cole, visiting Brazil for the
Soccerex football forum, were divided over which European bid
would be best to host the 2018 World Cup.
Carlos Alberto, Brazil's World Cup-winning captain in 1970,
said he would like to see world champions Spain and neighbours
Portugal as co-hosts.
Former Netherlands midfielder Gullit pushed his own nation's
joint bid with Belgium and ex-England striker Cole said his
country would be an ideal venue.
FIFA will announce the venue for the 2018 and 2022 finals in
Zurich on December 2.
"In my opinion today, it should be Spain and Portugal. Why?
Spain are the actual champions of the world and Portugal also
have tradition," Carlos Alberto told Reuters.
"(Portugal) held the European championship a few years ago
(in 2004). They have conditions, beautiful stadiums, for me it
should be Portugal and Spain," he said after a beach tournament
involving former players.
Gullit said a Dutch-Belgian World Cup would be compact and
green.
"There is not a lot of travelling for all the people. You
can take one hotel, from that hotel you can go to every game
around this tournament," said Gullit, whose country staged the
Euro 2000 tournament jointly with Belgium.
"This is a useful advantage and
of course it is the greenest
World Cup ever. We provide two million bikes."
BEACH TOURNAMENT
Cole took part in a beach tournament under a baking sun in
30 degrees heat.
"I like to believe we've got a great infrastructure in
England, I think everyone knows the passion of the English
game," he told Reuters.
"It is shown around the world and a lot of players want to
play in the Premiership because of the passion and the support
we have. So fingers crossed we can get the World Cup."
Brazil are staging the next World Cup in 2014, which former
Argentina midfielder Ossie Ardiles believes they can win, though
he said his country can be strong again under new coach Sergio
Batista.
"Brazil are always one of the favourites and even more
playing at home," said the 1978 World Cup winner.
"I believe Argentina will have a good team, we have the
players. Lately we have had the players but have not achieved
much."