Lineker: The World Cup is really special

• Gary Lineker celebrates his 57th birthday today
• Former England striker will horde tomorrow’s Final Draw
• Lineker discusses his World Cup memories and England’s Russia 2018 chances

Gary Lineker will not forget his 57th birthday in a hurry. The Mexico 1986 adidas Golden Boot leader will be celebrating it miles from home, in Moscow, where he will take on one of a biggest hurdles of his career as a presenter by hosting a Final Draw for a 2018 FIFA World Cup Russiaâ„¢.

With only hours to go before a ceremony, Lineker found time to discuss with FIFA.com about his purpose during a event, a favourites to win a pretension and England’s chances subsequent year.

FIFA.com: What are your expectations brazen of a Final Draw in Moscow?
Gary Lineker: On a personal turn we wish that all goes off as it should, we don’t have any problems, and we don’t make any large mistakes! (laughs) Seriously, though, it’s a good arise and a impulse to savour. we competence be a bit nervous. I’ve presented a lot of events on TV nonetheless this is different. It’s tricky, nonetheless we wish all works out alright.

Having some former colleagues around we will help, no doubt.
We’ve most got a whole football group together! There’ll be 8 assistants assisting out with a pull – genuine legends of a diversion who have substantially all won a World Cup before. And we’ll have a deputy from Russia too: Nikita Simonyan. He’s 91 and he’s in unequivocally good shape. It’s amazing. Let’s wish that all goes good and that he can beam us in a right direction.

Does holding partial in a large eventuality like this awaken memories of a World Cup for you?
The World Cup has been unequivocally good to me. we played in two: we won a Golden Boot in a initial and scored a few some-more goals in a second and reached a semi-finals. I’ve also worked on a final 6 for a BBC, something we wish to do again subsequent year. we consider each actor loves holding partial in it. It’s a singular eventuality to uncover what we can do on a biggest theatre of all and opposite a really best. The World Cup is really special; there’s no doubt about that.

Happy birthday to tomorrow’s #WorldCupDraw conductor, @GaryLineker! pic.twitter.com/0IT0uMo6nz

— #WorldCupDraw (@FIFAWorldCup) November 30, 2017

Can we report a contest in 3 words?
What? In dual or 3 words? (laughs) “The best sporting eventuality on a planet”. That’s a integrate of difference more, nonetheless we consider I’ve finished flattering well!

What would we give to play in it again?
I consider that when it comes to personification in a World Cup we achieved what we set out to do. Things wouldn’t go as good for me if we wanted to play in it again. There’s a reason because we retire, isn’t there? My legs wouldn’t conflict a approach they ought to and I’m not in shape. we consider we did my bit.

Who do we see as favourites for a title?
It’s substantially going to be a common suspects: Brazil and Germany. You can’t order them out, as story shows that they’ve always been successful. Spain will be rival again, nonetheless if we had to collect a group right now, for a patrol they have, afterwards I’d go for France. Look during a players they’ve got: a good goalkeeper, a really clever counterclaim and a really gifted midfield. (N’Golo) Kante is amazing! Up front they’ve got (Kylian) Mbappe, who’s a intensity superstar. They’re in good figure and they’ll be right in a brew for sure.

And what about England?
I don’t consider they’re among a favourites this time. We haven’t been for a while in fact. We’ve got some gifted players entrance through, some really good immature players, nonetheless subsequent year is maybe going to come a bit too shortly for them. They’ve had a lot of success during a U-17 and U-20 World Cups, nonetheless we don’t consider it’s their time yet, nonetheless we never know. We’ll be rival during this World Cup, that hasn’t been a box with us in new times.

Finally, let’s take we brazen to Friday 1 December. The lights come adult and Gary Lineker is alone, about to travel on to a stage. What’s a final suspicion that will be going by your head?
‘Don’t disaster it up!’ That’s what I’ll be meditative before we travel out on to a stage.

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2017/m=11/news=lineker-the-world-cup-is-very-special-2922024.html