Kylian Mbappe's suggestion that Europe has the upper hand at the World Cup receives rebuttal from Brazil coach Tite

Posted by Xchange Tickets on August 17th, 2022

The suggestion made by France attacker Kylian Mbappe that South American qualifying is easier than European qualifying was refuted by Brazil manager Tite.

The World Cup champion European teams have an advantage over their South American competitors because they play "high-level matches," according to Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe. Europe has won the last four World Cups.

The majority of the most recent World Cup champions have been Europeans, according to Mbappe, who said, "Argentina and Brazil don't have that level of competition in South America, the football is not as evolved as in Europe."

In an interview with ESPN Brazil on Tuesday, Tite disputed that assertion, claiming that the level of competition in the CONMEBOL zone was on par with any other in the world.

Tite explained the difficulties South American heavyweights like Argentina and Brazil encounter playing at high altitude in nations like Bolivia or against elite sides like Uruguay during their taxing 18-game qualifying cycle: "Maybe [Mbappe] is talking about these Nations League clashes or European friendlies, but not World Cup qualifiers."

"We don't have, with all due respect, Azerbaijan to play. We don't have anyone that gives you a break," Tite added. "The qualifiers here have a much higher degree of difficulty than the group stage [of European qualifying]."

Mbappe's remarks also drew criticism from others involved in South American football, including his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi. Football fans can book the Brazil Football World Cup Tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.

"Many times we talked about that in Spain," Messi said in an interview with TyC Sports. "When we returned from a qualifier, we told them: 'You don't know how difficult it would be for you to qualify for the World Cup if you had to go there, at altitude, in the heat, in Venezuela.'"

Former Uruguay forward Sebastian "Loco" Abreu even suggested in an interview with ESPN that Mbappe should do more "Wikipedia research."

Brazil-Argentina World Cup qualifier won't be replayed

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) and the Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) both reaffirmed on Tuesday that the World Cup qualifier between Argentina and Brazil that was suspended last year will not be rescheduled.

The match between the two South American football powerhouses was postponed on September 5 when Brazilian health officials charged numerous English Premier League players with breaking the nation's COVID-19 quarantine laws.

The game was originally set on September 22, but the AFA and the CBF announced in separate releases that the FIFA, the sport's global governing body, has officially resolved the matter.

"Finally, the match between Brazil-Argentina will not be replayed and the open date will allow for our national team to play a friendly as a result, in preparation for Qatar World Cup 2022," CBF said. "The CBF is grateful to FIFA for the willingness and availability to resolve this problem under these very specific circumstances in this short span of time."

The CBF is planning to play two friendly on the open date, the first against Algeria in Algeria and the second against Tunisia in France, according to sources who spoke to ESPN in Brazil.

Additionally, Argentina stated in their news release that they will try to schedule a friendly game for the currently free FIFA date.

Both federations were sentenced to pay fines totaling 150,000 Swiss francs (7,778.48), with half of the charge suspended for two years while the other half was sent directly to the World Health Organization.

Both Argentina and Brazil have earned spots in this year's World Cup in Qatar. Brazil took the top spot in the CONMEBOL standings with 45 points, followed by Argentina with 39.

The remaining two berths for the World Cup were filled by Uruguay and Ecuador.

Brazil is a member of Group G in Qatar together with Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon. Along with Mexico, Poland, and Saudi Arabia, Argentina is in Group C.

FIFA World Cup 2022: Jesus out to reclaim Brazil's No. 9 jersey

Jesus's transfer from Manchester City to Arsenal seems to have revived his career.

Being the center-forward for Brazil at a World Cup is one of football's greatest honours.

Gabriel Jesus, who was given the No. 9 jersey for the 2018 tournament in Russia and, as every Brazilian is keenly aware, failed to score a goal, is well aware of it.

Will he get a second chance?

Jesus now occupies a very low position among Brazil's forwards. Jesus might not have made the roster if it weren't for the fact that national teams will be able to call up 26 players rather than 23 for the World Cup in Qatar.

But a transfer from Manchester City to Arsenal in the off-season seems to have revitalised his career, particularly after switching back to playing as a true striker once again rather than a winger, the position City manager Pep Guardiola wanted Jesus to play because of his vigour and work ethic.

Jesus was a revelation for Arsenal throughout the preseason, and he has continued this excellent play into the Premier League. On Saturday, in a 4-2 victory over Leicester, Jesus scored twice and assisted on the other two goals for the squad.

“He's feeling disappointed in that dressing room because he said he could have scored four,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

“That's the standard, that's the mentality you want. To go to a different level, you need that mentality. He lifts the standards.”

Can Jesus thus reclaim his position as Brazil's starting center-forward? He is now behind Matheus Cunha of Atletico Madrid and Richarlison of Tottenham, who also changed teams during the summer, moving from Everton to Tottenham. Other candidates are Liverpool's Roberto Firmino and a local player from Flamengo named Pedro, who Brazil coach Tite thinks is capable of playing as a lone striker.

Vinicius Junior, Antony, Raphinha, Coutinho, and Neymar are just a few of Tite's wide receiver options, so it appears like Jesus will most likely play at No. 9.

The fact that Richarlison is unlikely to play every game for Tottenham this season, especially at striker where Harry Kane is practically unstoppable, helps Jesus's cause.

Therefore, the aim is there for the 25-year-old Jesus, who is reenergized after spending the most of his five and a half years at City as a backup.

“I was not unhappy at Manchester City," he said. "I just wanted to play and the club understood.”

Arsenal's gain is also Brazil's.

French prospect

Another Arsenal player whose chances of making the World Cup are rising is William Saliba. After spending time on loan with Saint-Etienne, Nice, and Marseille in France, the central defender has returned to the team.

Saliba supported a shaky Marseille team that finished second in the French league and earned a spot in the Champions League by having the second-best defensive record the previous campaign. He returned to Arsenal during the offseason, and after starting the team's first two Premier League games, it appears he has forced his way onto the roster.

Saliba, 21, has already made five appearances for France under coach Didier Deschamps, demonstrating his promise as an outstanding marker, strong in the air, and player with good poise.

In Qatar, he hopes to compete with Raphael Varane and Presnel Kimpembe for a starting position.

Werner's return

Since Timo Werner is essentially the only true forward for Germany, Hansi Flick's concern prior to the World Cup must have been his lack of goals in two seasons at Chelsea (he only scored 10 Premier League goals over that span).

Maybe Flick can rest easy.

Werner just signed a contract to return to Leipzig, where he played for four years and set a club record with 95 goals in 159 appearances. Before joining Chelsea, Werner scored in his first match back, a Saturday draw against Cologne.

He remarked after the Cologne game that the luck had returned after being rather unlucky for the previous two years. He was undoubtedly alluding to goalkeeper Marvin Schwbe's oversight in allowing Werner's fairly innocuous shot to go in.

In the team's final match, a 5-2 victory over Italy on June 14, Werner scored twice to bring his total for his international career to 24 goals in 53 appearances.

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