Maradona sees Brazil ‘on the way’ to World Cup title

TIL Desk Sports/ Argentine football legend Diego Maradona believes Brazil are “on the way” in Russia to their sixth World Cup title following their 2-0 defeat of Mexico in the Round-of-16 on Monday. Neymar and Roberto Firmino struck second-half goals in Samara as Brazil booked a place in the quarter-finals against Belgium.

“I saw a team that is solid and on the way to the title,” Maradona said on his Venezuelan television programme, De la Mano del Diez. “I like (Brazil coach) Tite a lot. Mexico wanted to play like they did against Germany, giving everything. You can’t ask for anything more than that from Mexico.”

Maradona criticized Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi for allowing an altercation between Neymar and Miguel Layun to go unpunished. The game was delayed for more than four minutes after Layun appeared to deliberately step on Neymar’s leg, prompting the Brazilian forward to writhe on the ground in apparent agony.

“Neymar has to decide. He either makes us laugh or he makes us cry. The stamp by the Mexican (Layun) was something to cry about but when seeing him run afterwards, it made us laugh,” Maradona said. “What is going on? It’s either a yellow card for the Mexican or yellow for Neymar for simulation.”