Neymar and Lionel Messi won’t be happy with England star Mason Mount after World Cup claim
Neymar and Lionel Messi may not be best pleased with Mason Mount’s comments on their respective nations ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. The England star has claimed Gareth Southgate’s team must be ready for the “dark arts” of both Brazil and Argentina if they get drawn against them later in the tournament.
Neymar is set to compete at his third World Cup, with Messi aiming to win the tournament for the first time at his fifth. It is likely to be the last time Messi participates in the competition at the age of 35.
Brazil are favourites to win the final on December 18, with Argentina also among the top contenders. But it’s not just their skill on the ball which Mount is aware of.
The Chelsea star says some South American teams have perfected the dark arts of football and has urged his Three Lions team-mates to be wary of that. Mount told talkSPORT: “The teams that have done well over the past years, France, Brazil.
“I think they’re two teams that are going to be strong. For us playing the friendly games and the Euros and the other games we play we don’t get to experience the likes of Brazil and Argentina and Colombia – the teams that do stuff off the ball, the dark arts of the game, especially in big games like this and if we do get to play them you have to be ready for that.
“[England] played Colombia in 2018 and I watched it and it was a tough game and these are the games you want to play in and we’re ready and we’re enjoying every moment so far but we have three tough tough group games to start.
“It’s one of those things in the game you have to deal with and be savvy about and know it’s coming and like I said we don’t experience it often so you have to be aware of that but first and foremost we worry about ourselves and how we perform and what we want to do as a team.”
Mount is competing for a starting spot in England’s opener against Iran on Monday. James Maddison has added to the competition the 23-year-old faces, though is an injury doubt having missed training on Thursday.
But Mount insists it is healthy to have that competitive edge amongst the squad. He added: “There’s massive competition and we know the technical ability we have going forward and being able to combine going forward as a unit is so important.
“Madders has been amazing this season and the goals he’s scored and assists he’s got really help us as a team so it’s brilliant to see him come into the squad again. We’re all in this together so we’re a group, we want to be here for a long time so we have to keep working hard together.
“There’s competition but that sets the level high in training and in games so you’re always at the best level you can be and if that’s as a sub or starting the game you want to give it everything as you know there’s players on the bench that want to come on and make an impact.”
