Kaka & Seedorf talk up England’s World Cup bid

Fabio Capello may be doing his best to try and keep expectations of England's performance at next year's World Cup in South Africa at sensible levels, but two respected international stars yesterday talked up the chances of the national team. Speaking ahead of Saturday's friendly against England in Doha, Qatar, the Brazilian playmaker Kaka spoke of his admiration for the unit that Capello is building.

"They have cruised through the European qualifiers in a group that was not easy at all," the Real Madrid star told the Guardian. "I don't think anybody expected them to go through so strongly, especially with the two emphatic defeats of Croatia. It's not to say England weren't a dangerous team before, but there is something different now. They look much sharper collectively, like Mr Capello's sides are known to be."

He also singled out Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard for special praise, saying that "England have always had individually strong players and I am a huge fan of Stevie Gerrard, who has the heart of a lion and is the icon of the modern footballer with his ability to attack and defend so well." Gerrard will be sitting out the weekend game as he is still carrying an injury incurred during England's last round of internationals.

Further encomiums came from Clarence Seedorf, the Dutch midfielder who was one of Capello's first signings when he took over at Real Madrid for the first time in 1996. Seedorf compared the disciplinarian Italian to his compatriot Carlo Ancelotti, now also a key figure in English football as Chelsea boss, who followed Capello as AC Milan manager.

"Capello's like a bulldozer," Seedorf told the Times. "He comes in and does it his way. Ancelotti comes in and will just look around a bit, bit by bit put things together. The risk that things will take off later is normally bigger than with Capello's way of working, but Ancelotti has grown over the years and got more experience so has probably got more effective."

The midfielder also says the FA was right to appoint Capello to his job as national coach. "He's a guarantee to get you results, especially short-term. I think he was the right man for the job for England, not just because he's a strong hand but also to make sure that all that talent together will really play for each other. Because that was the thing I didn't see before."

Now, Seedorf continues, "I actually think that England is one of the favourites with Brazil and Spain - I think they could be really dangerous at this World Cup."

All the more so, he believes, if David Beckham, returning to be a colleague of Seedorf's at AC Milan in the New Year, is in the side. "He's still an added value for any team he plays in with his professionalism and his quality, as a person and as a player. Knowing what he's done, what he can mean for the team off the pitch, I would take him to the World Cup."