Argentina are aware of the strengths of their World Cup Group C “Group of Death” rivals, but Argentina coach Jose Pekerman said he is hoping to lead the ‘Albiceleste’ all the way to the finals.

Coach Jose Pekerman's seeded team were drawn in one of the toughest World Cup groups, having been drawn with the Netherlands, Serbia & Montenegro and the Ivory Coast for the showpiece tournament in Germany.

"The team will be in good shape when they get to the World Cup. We have a very good team and I'm sure we'll have a great World Cup." Coach Pekerman said in an interview with the Argentine news agency Telam.

"You have to go to the World Cup in your best form. We Argentines are affected by our elimination in the first round of Korea-Japan," he said referring to the early exit for the ‘Albiceleste’ in the 2002 tournament in Korea/Japan.

Pekerman has implied that there would be no talk of how hard Argentina’s group is, if they were at the top of their game. Argentina’s poor tournament four years ago was down to the fact that they were drawn in a tougher group, with England, Sweden and Nigeria and their erratic form in the last six months.

Pekerman continued; "But if the team were okay (now), like for example in the first half at home against Brazil, we wouldn't even worry today about our rivals," he said. Argentina convincingly beat Brazil 3-1 in Buenos Aires in June, to clinch the first World Cup place from the CONMEBOL Zone.

"Brazil are the best team at the moment, for the way they play. I like their players, their ideas, their football...and England are getting there with greater aspirations than 2002. Position by position, they are complete and will do very well."

Pekerman is leaving his squad with little further World Cup preparation, leaving them to get the training in with their various club side’s saying: "There are six months left for the World Cup but we're only going to play one (warm-up) friendly, maybe against Croatia.”…"In other words, the state in which the players get there will depend on what they do with their clubs."

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