G-Silva: The Battle of Baja and Argentina will be very special; Argentina and Portugal are favorites to win the championship

Hupu News on October 7 Recently, Gilberto Silva, as the image ambassador of Oddspedia, accepted an interview with Marca. The following is the second half of the interview.

Is there pressure on Vinicius to become Brazil's next Neymar?

In my opinion, regardless of whether you have the best player on your roster, the responsibility should be shared by everyone. For example, you can't let Neymar decide everything. You can't put all this on his shoulders. If Neymar is not available, you cannot put the blame on Vinicius, it is unfair to the players and there is too much pressure. Every great player who wins a World Cup for Brazil is surrounded by a team that works really hard and steps up when they can't perform because at some point the opponent will always find a way to stop that star player. What's important now is that everyone feels they can play good football and get results for Brazil. No matter what position they play, or whether they have the same characteristics as Neymar or Vinicius, anyone there must be convinced that one of their responsibilities as a member of the Brazilian national team is to give their best and are working hard to win back the title.

Are you looking forward to a final between Brazil and Argentina? ...or Brazil vs. Spain, or Brazil vs. Germany as a revenge fight?

A final against Argentina or even Portugal would be great, although I don't think you can pick your opponents at this stage because any team that can reach the final deserves it. You can question everything and say there may be better teams, but if they make it to the final it's because they deserve it. However, it would be very unique and very special for Brazil and Argentina to meet in the final. The World Cup final between Brazil and Argentina will be unique and very special.

So who do you think is the favorite to win the championship?

Argentina is the favorite because they are the defending champions. But the other team I like is Portugal, ahead of Spain in my opinion because they have played together for a long time. The quality of their players and their coaching is outstanding and Roberto Martinez is a friend of mine, a great guy but he does a great job. The way he talks about football, talking to him, is a blessing because we learn a lot when we are close to him. We know his vision for the game, how he wants his team to play, how he structures everything, which is very interesting stuff, Argentina and Portugal are my favorites.

Should Endrick leave Real Madrid?

Endrick is very young, just like Casemiro, he went to a European club and left Brazil. Young players need time to adapt, and he needs a lot of patience, resilience and hard work to win opportunities. It's not easy to get into that team, especially with players as talented as Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius. Let's see what happens; I wish him the best. Maybe a loan move wouldn't hurt him, as players can lose motivation and confidence if they don't play. I'm sure he wants to be part of the next Brazil World Cup squad and doesn't want to miss out. However, the only way to achieve this is to play regularly before then; otherwise, it will be difficult for him to make the roster.

What about Arteta’s Arsenal? Are there any similarities to your undefeated team? Are they Champions League contenders?

I never like comparisons because what we did was extraordinary and it was a different era. I think now they have to make a name for themselves. I don't like comparing different eras or teams because situations are different. Of course, they have a very good team, quality players, and they have to build their reputation like we did back then. But it takes hard work to build a reputation and I'm sure they are working hard to build that, especially winning titles for the club. That's how we got results that year: win, lose, lose the final, bounce back, bounce back and fight hard for the next season. The past two seasons have been very painful for them. I hope they've learned their lesson and improved so that it doesn't happen again and they have another chance this year. Of course, they are Champions League contenders. I hope with the signings they have made they can achieve their goals this season. They strengthened key positions. The defense and midfield are well configured, and there is also a new striker: Djekeresh is exactly what Arsenal needs to ensure stability throughout the season.