Pele says Argentina's form not Maradona's fault

Pele says it wasn't Diego Maradona's fault that Argentina played poorly in World Cup qualifiers, suggesting the blame should rest with Argentine officials who chose him as the national coach.

Pele said on Saturday he expected Argentina to be a strong contender at the World Cup in South Africa. He also listed his native Brazil, Italy, Spain and England as major contenders. He said this could also be the year an African team breaks through.

He praised Brazil coach Dunga, who is expected to lead the five-time champions back into contention after a disappointing World Cup in 2006.

"What happened with Argentina was not Maradona's fault," said Pele, who was in Colombia to promote the Copa Libertadores, the South American club championship. "He did not have experience as a coach. The fault could be with those who chose him to be the coach."

Maradona was picked for the job by Julio Grondona, the president of the Argentine association.

"Argentina has great coaches with experience," Pele added. "Now we can expect a strong Argentina. They'll be ready for the World Cup. You have to respect them. As always, they will be contenders."

But Pele seemed to narrow the finalists down to Brazil and Spain, the European champion.

"Dunga has excellent young players with experience," he said. "Brazil will be a strong candidate along with Spain, which has the best team at the moment. They have had excellent preparation."