Ex-Liverpool winger Luis Garcia fancies Brazil at World Cup

Former Liverpool winger Luis Garcia has picked Brazil as his fancied team at next month's World Cup.

The host nation are 3/1 favourites with most bookmakers, ahead of Argentina, Germany and Garcia's nation - Spain.

Now retired, Garcia expects defending champions Spain to be there or thereabouts, but if Vicente del Bosque's side can't win a fourth straight major tournament then the 35-year-old thinks that it could be Brazil.

"First, I would have to say Brazil," he told Sports Mole at the Heineken Ibiza Final this weekend.

"They are at home, they are strong and the support [being the home country] means a lot when you are there so I think Brazil is going to be close."

When asked who he thought might be the surprise team this summer, Garcia added: "You never know, but I'll say Japan. Why not?!"

Garcia, who also played for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona last decade, went to the 2006 Germany World Cup with Spain, scoring a crucial hat-trick in the qualification playoff against Slovakia.

Click here for our preview on Brazil's group at the tournment, which kicks off on June 12.