World Cup: Get set for attractive, attacking football

World Cup: Get set for attractive, attacking football

In 1982, he scored the goal that earned Northern Ireland a famous World Cup Finals victory over hosts Spain.

Fast forward 32 years, and Gerry Armstrong is expecting La Roja to once again slip up on football's biggest stage.

"This is an ageing side," he said of the reigning champions. "Guys like Xavi Hernandez and Xabi Alonso are great players - but they may well be past their best.

"The biggest question is whether Fernando Torres can get the goals, but even then, they'll only get as far as the quarter-finals. Semis? Maybe, depending on who they come up against."

The 60-year-old was speaking to The Straits Times ahead of his arrival in Singapore as part of SingTel mio TV's punditry team for this month's World Cup.

Anchored by Richard Lenton, the broadcaster's coverage will also feature expert analysis by former England defender Paul Parker and former Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean.

They will be joined by two men who will be familiar to local fans - former Singapore midfielder John Wilkinson and former striker Alistair Edwards, who played a starring role for the Lions in the 1990s Malaysia Cup era.

"We've got a great team; a good combination of managers, players and former World Cup stars," said Armstrong, whose international record reads 12 goals in 63 appearances. "I'm certain our coverage is going to be a success."

The former striker, who counts Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion and Mallorca among the clubs he played for, expects Brazil or Argentina to extend their European rivals' wait for a first success on South American soil.

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The hosts, in particular, will be desperate to deliver a sixth trophy to their football-mad nation.

"They have some fantastic players, but the only problem is the pressure they are under," Armstrong pointed out.

"It all comes down to their opening match, which will show whether they can cope with it."

Also with something to prove over the next five weeks is Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who has failed to deliver on the world stage in two previous attempts.

The 26-year-old forward has set such high standards for himself that he recently apologised to Barcelona fans for going through "a tough year" - one in which he still scored 41 goals for the Catalan giants.

"He'll want to show that he can rise to the occasion, the way Diego Maradona did in 1986," Armstrong said, in reference to Argentina's last World Cup success.

But, while the focus will be on Brazil and Messi, he is also expecting big things from a Belgium side many consider to be the dark horses this time round.

"They've got the best young goalkeeper in the world in Thibaut Courtois, the best defender in Vincent Kompany and other quality players like Eden Hazard," he said. "If they have the belief, it could very well be their year."

Whoever emerges victorious in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium on July 13, Armstrong is looking forward to a month-long celebration of the beautiful game. "I like watching attractive, attacking football and I think that's what we'll get," he said. "It's going to be an entertaining and interesting competition for sure."


This article was first published on June 7, 2014.
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