Asia to beat Africa to World Cup win — James

Changsha, China: Asia has overtaken Africa and now looks the more likely continent to produce a World Cup-winning team, according to the former England goalkeeper David James. Speaking at the World Football Forum in Changsha, James said Asia’s financial clout and passion would propel it to the forefront of the game in the coming decades.

“I genuinely think that an Asian country has got a better chance of winning the World Cup than an African one,” the former Liverpool goalkeeper said.

“When I was growing up in the Nineties, it was all about how Africa was going to be the next continent to win the World Cup. I can’t see it.”