Brazil host the World Cup next year and are desperate to make amends for the last and only previous time they have staged the tournament, in 1950, when they lost the final game to Uruguay.

Neymar told the Daily Mail: "England are a good team with very good players - but I don't look at them as one of our main rivals for the World Cup.

"They have the players to do well - but do I think they have the same quality as Spain and Argentina? No. I think maybe they rely on Wayne Rooney.

"At Brazil we have many players who can win the game. The same with Argentina if Messi is not having a great game they still have Aguero and Tevez with Spain if Iniesta is having a bad game they have Xavi and Villa.

"Once you look past Rooney you don't see an obvious player who can win them a game."