JOHANNESBURG: Former World Cup winners Patrick Vieira and Geoff Hurst have picked Spain as their team to win the tournament being hosted for the first time on African soil.

Hurst, who scored a hat-trick when England won the 1966 World Cup final at home, and former French captain Vieira, who helped hosts France to victory in 1998, both said Spain had shown the best form in the run-up to the tournament which begins in South Africa on Friday.

"The way they qualified for the World Cup was really easy ... they scored so many goals, they didn`t concede so much," Senegalese-born Vieira told Reuters on Thursday.

Hurst said the fact Spain could leave midfielder Cesc Fabregas on the bench in recent friendlies demonstrated the squad`s strength and depth.

"Cesc Fabregas ... is a magnificent player and ... on some of the lead up games he hasn`t even started the game so it shows you how strong Spain are," Hurst told reporters.

Hurst said Brazil should not be discounted and England, with manager Fabio Capello at the helm, should at least get to the semi-finals.

"Our half of the draw is quite favourable -- I`d be very disappointed ... if we don`t get at the very least into the semi-final. We`re quite capable of that," he said.

Both former players also agreed host nation South Africa would be under intense pressure to start with a victory when they kick off the World Cup finals on Friday against Mexico.

"The first game will be really tough for them and hopefully if they start with a win that will give them confidence, that will give them belief and you never know where they can go so they have to enjoy it," Vieira said.

BDST: 1134hrs, June 11, 2010
SA