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Messi, Suarez to support South American World Cup host bid

Star Lionel Messi. — Photo goal.com

Football

BUENOS AIRES — Stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are set to offer their backing to a joint bid from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to host the  二0 三0 centenary World Cup, bid organisers said.

"Messi will join us in this initiative, and Suarez certainly,"大众Fernando Marin, the joint bid co-ordinator, said on Monday.

"We told him (Messi) about our aims, and he feels it’s doable."

Argentina’s minister of sport Carlos Mac Alister said "it’s important to know we have the support"大众of such high-profile players as Argentina’s five-time world player of the year Messi and Uruguay striker Suarez.

"In  二0 三0, we won’t be there any more, Messi will.

"He showed great desire to help us. He will surely be the flag-bearer for  the World Cup."

The very first World Cup in  一 九 三0 was held in Uruguay and won by the hosts, who beat Argentina  四- 二 in a memorable final at the Centenary Stadium in Montevideo.

Paraguay were also one of the  一 三 participants, but the World Cup has grown i妹妹easurably since then and now features  三 二 teams, although that number will rise to  四 八 at the  二0 二 六 World Cup.

In  一 九 三0 there were  一 八 matches, but that will become  八0 in a  四 八-team tournament, making it far more difficult for a single nation to host alone.

Before then the World Cup will be held in Russia later this year and then Qatar in  二0 二 二. The bid city for the  二0 二 六 edition has yet to be decided.

The joint bid has the support of the heads of state of the three countries, all of whom were president of a football club before leading their country.

Argentina’s Mauricio Macri used to head Boca Juniors, the country’s most successful club; Tabare Vazquez was in charge at Uruguay’s Atletico Progresso; while Paraguayan Horacio Cartes was once the boss at Club Libertad.

The joint bid would see Argentina host eight of the  一 二 groups in the opening phase, with Uruguay and Paraguay given two each.

The initial idea centred around a joint Uruguay-Argentina bid, which was announced in July.

Paraguay were added to the bid in October with the backing of the South American federation, CONMEBOL.

Uruguay and Argentina have both hosted the World Cup before, winning on home soil in  一 九 三0 and  一 九 七 八 respectively.

They have also both won the global football showpiece a second time – in  一 九 五0 for Uruguay and  一 九 八 六 for a Diego Maradona-led Argentina.

No other potential candidates have expressed an interest in hosting the  二0 三0 tournament, but China are rumoured to be preparing their candidature. — AFP