England legend Lineker accepted an exclusive interview on the occasion of his induction into the Football Hall of Fame in Pachuca, Mexico, and talked about his past career, Rashford, Barcelona and the World Cup.
You have just been inducted into the Pachuca Football Hall of Fame. How do you feel?
"As a footballer, I'm very lucky, especially in Mexico. I participated in the 1986 World Cup 40 years ago. So I have great memories of this country called Mexico."
You played for Barcelona for three seasons. What are your memories of that period?
"It was an incredible time. For me, Barcelona is a club that I admire and love very much. It is very special to me."
What do you think of the current Barcelona coached by Flick?
"Very good, this is a team that plays the kind of football we like to watch. They have a lot of goals in their games and it's very entertaining. They have very good players, especially Yamal, who has a fantastic future. The attraction for the Englishman is that Rashford is there too and he's doing really well."
Are you surprised by Rashford's adaptation?
"No, because I have known him very well for a long time. He is a kid who can perform very well if he is happy and can score goals. In Barcelona, he has no problems at the moment, he has played a lot of games, and in my opinion, he is doing very well."
28-year-old Lineker at the peak or Lewandowski now, one of the two?
"I'm too old. Therefore, I choose Lewandowski. For me, Lewandowski is one of the best No. 9s of all time. He knows very well how to play in this position, and he is a natural shooter. He is very calm at the end, and I like him as a shooter very much."
In the past ten years, the Champions League has often been a battle between the Premier League and La Liga. Do you think the same will be true this year?
"Still the same old faces: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Bayern."
Will this be the year of Arsenal?
"It's always going to be very difficult to win this trophy, but Arsenal are a very good team and this year they have a much stronger squad than before with more chances. This could certainly be their year."
Do you think Spain or England are World Cup favorites?
"Spain are one of the biggest favorites. They have a great team. England have very good players and have a chance, but as we know, it is very difficult for our country to win the World Cup. France and Argentina will also have a chance, and don't forget, Argentina still has a Messi who is still performing at a high level."