Diego Maradona is backing Brazil to win the World Cup -- and reckons England, Italy and Germany are a better bet to win the title than Argentina.
Maradona told ESPN television that defending champions Brazil remained the team to beat at the June 9-July 9 finals.
"If not Brazil, then England, Germany or Italy, who are much sharper," Maradona said, adding that Argentina's experience at the 2002 finals -- when they were eliminated in the first phase -- showed the jury was still out.
"I don't think you can either have confidence in or underestimate Argentina after what happened in 2002. Everyone was saying we were going to win it, but we got knocked out in the first round," Maradona said.
"The key will be making sure that our best players are in Germany and are in a good condition physically," he added, saying that Javier Mascherano and Lionel Messi would be crucial.
Argentina face a tricky first round draw at the World Cup, where their opponents will be the Netherlands, Serbia and Montenegro and African Nations Cup finalists Ivory Coast.
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